Conor McGregor suffers early injury in return and loses to Max Holloway at UFC 329
Conor McGregor Suffers Early Injury in UFC 329 Return Loss
Conor McGregor suffers early injury in return – Conor McGregor suffers early injury in his highly anticipated return to the octagon at UFC 329. The Irishman’s comeback bout against Max Holloway ended abruptly after just 1:09 of the opening round when a leg injury forced the fight to be stopped. Fans and analysts watched in disappointment as McGregor’s moment in the spotlight was cut short by what appeared to be a serious knee problem sustained during a flying kick attempt.
The 22-7-0 fighter made a dramatic entrance to the octagon, greeted by roaring cheers from the sold-out arena. McGregor launched a spectacular flying left roundhouse kick moments after stepping into the ring, but the move resulted in an awkward landing on his right knee. Despite attempting to strike Holloway—whose record stands at 28-9-0—two more times following the injury, the leg issue proved too significant to overcome.
Betting Markets React to McGregor’s Misfortune
The betting landscape reflected the confidence many placed in Holloway heading into the matchup. The American fighter closed as a -300 favorite at Bet MGM Sportsbook, requiring bettors to risk $300 to secure a $100 profit. Conversely, McGregor entered as a +240 underdog, meaning a $100 wager on the Irishman would yield $240 in winnings had he emerged victorious.
McGregor’s absence from competition had been precisely five years and one day as of Saturday night, making this return one of the most anticipated moments in recent UFC history. The timing of his comeback coincided with heightened excitement among fans, particularly given that his home country of England had just secured a quarterfinal victory over Norway in the World Cup earlier that same day.
Other Notable Results from UFC 329
Beyond the McGregor-Holloway main event, several other bouts delivered compelling performances that kept the crowd engaged throughout the evening. Liverpool’s Paddy Pimblett, sporting a 24-4-0 record, delivered a swift victory over Benoit Saint Denis (17-4-0) in what proved to be a highlight of the preliminary card. Pimblett, who had closed as a +120 underdog, demonstrated impressive technical skill by blocking a roundkick before shooting in and applying a front headlock that forced Saint Denis to submit within just 52 seconds of the opening round.
In the bantamweight division, Mario Bautista (18-3-0) secured a unanimous decision victory over Cory Sandhagen (18-7-0). Bautista’s strategy centered on exploiting a first-round leg kick and maintaining consistent pressure across all three rounds. A decisive flurry of punches in the third round ultimately sealed his victory and earned him the judges’ favor.
The flyweight division produced another exciting result as Brandon Royval (18-9-0) captured a submission victory against Lone’er Kavanagh (10-2-0). Their scheduled three-round contest reached its conclusion at the 3:40 mark of the final round when Royval locked in a rear-naked choke, forcing Kavanagh to tap out and hand Royval the win.
Shocking Upset Stuns Main Card
Perhaps the most unexpected outcome of the evening came during the main card when King Green (36-17-0) overcame what appeared to be a difficult night to secure a TKO victory over Terrance McKinney (18-9-0). Green endured what many observers described as a beating for nearly the entire first round, absorbing significant punishment from his opponent. However, with approximately 20 seconds remaining in the round, Green found his opening and landed a powerful right hand to McKinney’s jaw. The fight continued until the 4:59 mark, when Green finished his opponent for the TKO victory, delivering one of the night’s most dramatic moments.
This breaking story will continue to be updated as more information becomes available regarding McGregor’s injury and potential timeline for his return to competition.
