The referee stopped the welterweight contest at UFC 329 after McGregor fell to the mat three times in the first minute.By ReutersPublished On 12 Jul 202612 Jul 2026Conor McGregor’s much-hyped return to the octagon lasted just over a minute on Saturday, after the Irishman blew out his knee and retired injured in his UFC 329 fight with Max Holloway in Las Vegas.Former two-weight world champion McGregor, who had not fought since breaking his leg against Dustin Poirier in July 2021, attempted a flying kick to start the opening round but landed awkwardly and immediately looked in trouble.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of listHe tried to fight on for a few seconds but looked towards the referee to signal he could not continue. Conor McGregor of Ireland falls after sustaining an injury on a kick in the first round against Max Holloway of the United States in their welterweight bout during UFC 329 at T-Mobile Arena [Ian Maule/Getty Images via AFP]Former featherweight champ Holloway said he would discuss the possibility of staging another fight with McGregor when the Irishman recovers.“It is what it is, I’m going to sit down with the UFC,” Holloway added. “[There was] so much hype for that right there. We’ve got to run it back one more time. One more time for the boys.”Saturday’s bout was the second between the pair, with McGregor winning by unanimous decision in 2013. Max Holloway lands a punch on Conor McGregor during the first round in their welterweight bout during UFC 329 [Ian Maule/Getty Images/AFP]Injuries and issues away from the sport have derailed McGregor’s career.After breaking his leg against Poirier five years ago, the 37-year-old was slated to meet Michael Chandler in June 2024, but that was cancelled after McGregor suffered a broken toe in training. Advertisement Later that year, a jury in an Irish civil court found him liable for the rape of Nikita Hand in 2018.In October 2025, he accepted an 18-month ban fo …
