Conor McGregor has finally disclosed the precise nature of the injury to his right knee that occurred during his brief return to the UFC octagon on July 11 in Las Vegas.
McGregor, who suffered a technical knockout defeat to Max Holloway at UFC 329, expressed his surprise upon learning the specifics of the damage. He characterized the discovery as "quite shocking."
"Update: it was acl and meniscus," McGregor shared on social media platform X. "It is the same injury as the first Holloway fight, only this time the opposite leg. Quite shocking."
A Familiar Injury and Optimistic Recovery
This recent encounter marked a rematch of sorts, as McGregor had previously faced Holloway 13 years prior, long before achieving global recognition in mixed martial arts. The recurrence of a similar injury over a decade later is a striking coincidence, but McGregor is committed to maintaining a positive outlook.
"With today’s regenerative medicine advancements and improved training methods it is well within my realm to return by next summer," McGregor stated confidently. "I am walking without a crutch. I done leg extension machine work the other day to no issue. So I can walk without aid, and activate my quad under resistance. All very positive. I am maximum discipline and have maintained it fully since the bout."
He added a philosophical reflection:
"I wonder was I saved from something worse here. I believe so. I would have attended the after party as ‘the man’ and who knows then. I believe I was saved. Thank you God! On we go, no sad stories. Thank you for the support and well wishes everyone, your health is your wealth."
The Fateful Moment in the Octagon
The fight itself was remarkably short. McGregor attempted a jumping roundhouse kick against Holloway. Upon landing on the canvas, he immediately clutched his right knee and fell to the ground.
Holloway quickly moved to capitalize on the situation, attempting to strike McGregor while he was down. Although McGregor managed to evade some significant blows, his condition was clearly compromised.
Referee Mike Beltran intervened and stopped the contest just seconds into the opening round, granting Holloway the victory and bringing the UFC 329 co-main event to an abrupt and anticlimactic conclusion.
Immediate Reactions and Future Prospects
Following the match, McGregor openly expressed his distress.
"My head gasket is gone. Destroyed," he wrote on X at the time. "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."
Footage released by McGregor's team from the locker room prior to the fight showed the former two-division champion practicing his jumping roundhouse kicks, appearing to land them without any apparent difficulty.
With this technical knockout, McGregor's professional UFC record now stands at 22 wins and 7 losses. Despite the setback, the 38-year-old fighter appears determined to recover and re-enter the octagon, expressing a clear desire not to conclude his illustrious career in such a manner.
