Las Vegas sees McGregor’s UFC 329 return end in first-round injury

By Harry Sutton — 12 July 2026 — 3 min read

McGregor’s Return to the Octagon

Conor McGregor‘s return to the UFC ended in a first-round injury on Saturday, marking a similar conclusion to his last fight five years prior. The event, UFC 329, took place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, where McGregor faced Max Holloway in a welterweight main event.

This bout was McGregor‘s first since July 2021, when he sustained a leg injury during his second loss to Dustin Poirier. His journey back to fighting has been marked by various challenges, including legal issues, a political campaign in Ireland, and another injury that led to his withdrawal from UFC 303. Despite these distractions, McGregor had expressed a commitment to rededicating himself to the sport.

Holloway, who entered the fight ranked number 15 at 155 pounds and number 20 in the pound-for-pound rankings, was competing at 170 pounds for the first time. His recent record includes a loss of his “BMF” title to Charles Oliveira and a knockout defeat by Ilia Topuria. However, he also holds recent victories over Poirier and current lightweight champion Justin Gaethje.

The Main Event Unfolds

The fight, officiated by Mike Beltran, began with McGregor attempting a jumping kick. Replays indicated that he injured his right knee during this initial move. He subsequently fell to the canvas, managed to stand after some ground and pound from Holloway, and then fell again.

Despite Holloway signalling to the referee, the fight continued briefly. McGregor stood a second time but appeared clearly injured, stumbling and shaking his head. The referee then waved off the fight, resulting in an official first-round TKO victory for Max Holloway due to injury at one minute and nine seconds into the round.

The broadcast showed a replay of McGregor removing his shoes in the cageside area before entering the Octagon, leading to speculation from the commentary team about a potential pre-existing tweak to a knee, leg, or foot. However, it was also suggested that the initial running, jumping high kick was the more likely cause of the knee injury.

Aftermath and Previous Setbacks

This injury marks another setback for McGregor, whose previous fight five years ago also ended in a first-round injury in the same arena. That incident saw him break his leg in a loss to Dustin Poirier. Two years prior to this recent event, a broken toe forced him to withdraw from a scheduled fight against Michael Chandler with only two weeks’ notice.

Beyond his physical challenges, McGregor has also faced legal issues, including being found liable for sexual assault in a civil suit, a verdict he denies and appealed unsuccessfully. His return to the Octagon at UFC 329 was highly anticipated, marking his first appearance in five years.

Following the fight, Holloway participated in a post-fight interview with Joe Rogan, but there was no immediate interview from McGregor. The fight’s duration of one minute and nine seconds was notably shorter than his previous loss to Poirier, which concluded at the end of the first round. McGregor is set to turn 38 on Tuesday.

Source: mmafighting.com