Conor McGregor’s comeback to the UFC lasted only a matter of seconds before it was over.
37-year-old Irish fighter Conor McGregor made his return to the Octagon at UFC 329 in Las Vegas on Saturday night, stepping in against Max Holloway in a welterweight rematch after five years away from the sport.
Millions of excited fans had tuned in.
Within seconds of the opening horn, McGregor appeared to badly misstep during an early exchange and his knee completely gave way beneath him. The referee waved the fight off almost immediately, handing Holloway the win.
The injury immediately brought back memories of McGregor’s horrific leg break against Dustin Poirier five years ago, the injury that had kept him out of the sport until now.
McGregor posted a heartbreaking update 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. I am beyond dark here. I can only describe it as hell.”
Fans rushed to social media to vent feelings
Social media exploded the moment the fight was called off. Clips of the exact moment McGregor’s knee buckled racked up millions of views within minutes.
“I actually cannot believe what I just witnessed,” one viral post on X read.
“Five years of waiting just for it to end in seconds.”
Another widely shared comment added: “Conor’s body is just completely done with the fight game.”
Others were more sympathetic.
“He spent five years overcoming so much to get back to this point and really seemed to be in a better place,” one fan wrote and added:
“A horrible way to end a massive night.”
Many are now openly questioning whether McGregor will ever fight again, with some calling Saturday night the definitive end of his career in the sport.
Holloway celebrated what he himself described as a bittersweet victory. McGregor has not yet spoken publicly about the injury or his future plans.
READ MORE:
- New details emerge about oldest child in Ohio home where 16 children were left to rot like ‘feral animals’
- Store worker who interacted with the 16 children rescued from Ohio home says one detail will never leave her
