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Conor McGregor's UFC Return Ends in 69-Second Loss Due to Knee Injury
🇵🇦 Panama /Sports

Conor McGregor's UFC Return Ends in 69-Second Loss Due to Knee Injury

From TVN Panamá · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Outcome reported
  • UFC star Conor McGregor suffered a surprise loss to Max Holloway due to a knee injury just 69 seconds into their welterweight bout at UFC 329.
  • McGregor sustained the injury early in the fight while attempting a kick, falling multiple times before the referee stopped the contest.
  • Holloway expressed disappointment at the anticlimactic finish, suggesting a rematch is needed, while McGregor described the moment as "hell."

Conor McGregor's highly anticipated return to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) ended abruptly and unexpectedly Saturday night when he lost to Max Holloway by technical knockout just 69 seconds into their welterweight main event at UFC 329 in Las Vegas.

The Irish fighter, 37, sustained a severe right knee injury early in the first round while attempting a circular kick. He fell to the canvas three times in the opening minute, prompting referee Mike Beltran to stop the fight. Holloway, 34, improved his record to 28-9 with the TKO victory.

"I'm out of gas. I'm destroyed. I had no injury or injuries heading into the fight. I was throwing kicks and jumping... even backstage before the fight. This has come out of nowhere. I am in a very dark place. I can only describe it as hell," McGregor posted on social media platform X after the bout. He had previously hyped his comeback as "the return of all returns in the history of sport."

I'm out of gas. I'm destroyed. I had no injury or injuries heading into the fight. I was throwing kicks and jumping... even backstage before the fight. This has come out of nowhere. I am in a very dark place. I can only describe it as hell.

— Conor McGregorMcGregor described his feelings after suffering a fight-ending knee injury during his return bout.

Holloway, who had won ten fights since his last encounter with McGregor in 2013, expressed frustration with the fight's abrupt end. "What can I say? I guess I left him loose on his knees," Holloway said, adding, "So much hype... We have to do it again. It sucks that it ended like this." He also noted that McGregor had not fought since his two losses to Dustin Poirier in 2021, the second of which resulted in a fractured left leg.

McGregor, once the UFC's biggest commercial star, became the organization's first fighter to hold two titles simultaneously in 2016. His last UFC win before his extended absence was a 40-second knockout of Donald Cerrone in January 2020. In another notable fight on the same card, Paddy Pimblett submitted Benoit Saint Denis in just 52 seconds of the first round in their lightweight bout.

What can I say? I guess I left him loose on his knees. So much hype... We have to do it again. It sucks that it ended like this.

— Max HollowayHolloway commented on the anticlimactic nature of his victory over McGregor due to the injury.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by TVN Panamá in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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