Injured Conor McGregor’s UFC comeback ends in defeat to Max Holloway

A Botched Kick

At UFC 329 in Las Vegas on Saturday, Irish fighter Conor McGregor, who had not fought since breaking his leg against Dustin Poirier in July 2021, attempted a flying kick to start the opening round. He landed awkwardly and immediately appeared to be in trouble. He tried to continue for a few seconds but then looked at the referee, signaling he could not carry on.

Holloway Calls for Rematch

Former featherweight champion Max Holloway, who won the bout, 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. (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," Holloway added. This was the second matchup between the two, with McGregor winning by unanimous decision in 2013.

Career Setbacks

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 canceled after McGregor suffered a broken toe in training. 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 for “whereabouts failures” after he missed three attempts by Combat Sports Anti-Doping to collect biological samples from him in 2024. The ban was backdated and expired in March.

Pimblett’s Quick Win

In the co-main event at the T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, Britain’s Paddy Pimblett also needed less than a minute to secure victory, choking out Frenchman Benoit Saint-Denis in their lightweight bout.