69 Seconds of Hell: Conor McGregor 'destroyed' by injury in shock UFC return

Former MMA champion Conor McGregor lost via TKO to Max Holloway after only 69 seconds in his return to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) after a five-year hiatus. A right knee injury forced referee Mike Beltran to stop the contest held at UFC 329 in Las Vegas on Saturday (Jul 12). Ireland's McGregor, 37, fell to the mat three times in the first minute.

McGregor jumped and smashed a roundhouse kick at Holloway in the opening seconds, but hurt his knee upon planting his foot. He crumpled twice more and grabbed at his right knee, prompting Beltran to end the bout.

"What can I say? I had him weak in the knees, I guess," Holloway said. "So much hype. We've got to run it back one more time. For it to end like this sucks."

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Holloway, however, hoped that his opponent’s injury was "not too crazy".

McGregor, who walked out of the octagon without comment, later said on X, "My head gasket is gone. Destroyed. I had no injury / injuries going into the fight. I was throwing kicks, planted and jumping, all throughout camp as well as backstage before the fight."

"This came out of nowhere," he added. "I am beyond dark here. I can only describe it as hell."

Holloway added that he knew McGregor was in trouble when he backed off.

"I could tell. His whole demeanour changed. He said, 'Fight! Fight!" added Holloway.

This bout, which McGregor called "the comeback of all comebacks in sports history", was a rematch of a 2013 featherweight fight, which the Irishman won by unanimous decision.

He hasn’t fought inside an Octagon since breaking his leg in a 2021 defeat to Dustin Poirier of the US.

The UFC's Ultimate Box-Office Draw

McGregor, who was the first UFC fighter to hold two titles simultaneously at different weights in 2016, remained the company’s most marketable star before that injury derailed his rising career.

At his peak, McGregor reportedly earned more than $100 million for losing to Floyd Mayweather in a boxing superfight in 2017.
His last win, however, was a 40-second triumph over American Donald Cerrone in January 2020.