Famed MMA fighter Conor McGregor had a less-than-stellar return to the UFC, losing his first fight in five years.
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The highly anticipated UFC 329 match between McGregor and Max Holloway ended in the first round at 1:09. Although he started off strong with a jump, a roundhouse kick, and a fall, McGregor attempted the kick, only to fall again.
As he continued the match, McGregor threw a left, only to land on the mat. Although he was able to get back on his feet, the fighter was seen holding his right leg. The referee, Mike Belton, stopped the fight at 1:09.
McGregor previously took a five-year hiatus after breaking his left leg during a 2021 match. UFC broadcaster Megan Olivi revealed that he ended up sustaining a “right internal knee injury” during his UFC 329 fight.
Holloway previously lost to McGregor in 2013. He has a 28-9 record, while McGregor has a 22-7 record.
McGregor Speaks Out Following Short Comeback Match
Following his match against Holloway, McGregor took to X to speak out.
“My head gasket is gone. Destroyed,” he wrote. “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.”
The MMA fighter further declared, “I am beyond dark here. I can only describe it as hell.”
In a follow-up tweet, McGregor stated he was going to make yet another comeback.
“I was so sharp and so ready for this fight I cannot believe what has happened,” he noted. “The talk of me being off while walking in to the fight is nonsense. I was calm, ready, and confident. I am in shock what has taken place.”
He also shared, “The devil is literally staring at me right in front of my face here. I am not engaging. I will be at church tomorrow.”
McGregor went on to add, “I will overcome this. I will not be deterred. I will win.”
The MMA fighter also posted the Apostles’ Creed.
Meanwhile, Dana White backed McGregor by pushing back on theories that there was an injury before the match.
“The day of the (pre-fight) press conference, he came running up from the back, ran right up to him, stopped abruptly and squared off with him. They were pushing foreheads,” White shared. “I wouldn’t know (about a pre-fight injury), but the doctors checked him out before the fight, and he looked damn good at the press conference, and he looked fine at the weigh ins.”