Max Holloway wins as Conor McGregor exits early at UFC 329

sportsJul 12, 2026634,146

Conor McGregor's much-anticipated UFC comeback ended 69 seconds into his rematch with Max Holloway at UFC 329 in Las Vegas after McGregor suffered a knee injury and stumbled, prompting referee Mike Beltran to wave off the contest and award Holloway the TKO victory. McGregor left the canvas unsteady after missing a roundhouse kick and going down early; the bout was held at T-Mobile Arena and marked McGregor's first Octagon appearance since his 2021 broken leg loss to Dustin Poirier. The stoppage is the seventh defeat of McGregor's career and his fourth loss in five fights, with just one win since 2016. Holloway, making his welterweight debut, improves to 28 wins in 37 fights and immediately called for a trilogy, saying, You guys are lucky because there is going to be a Holloway v McGregor 3 now and We have to run it back one more time. Critics have renewed questions about McGregor's place in the sport following off-ring controversies, including a November 2024 civil damages ruling in favor of Nikita Hand and an 18-month anti-doping ban that concluded in March. The manner of the victory leaves Holloway's adaptation to welterweight unresolved and sets up promoter and fighter discussions about a third meeting.

Richy Craven

@richycraven.bsky.social

My favorite part of the McGregor fight was when Holloway gestured multiple times to the ref like "I'm basically punching a guy on the ground who can't defend himself" and the ref was like "yes, continue".

299244d ago

Richy Craven141

This is the second viral video that McGregor featured in where an old man who can't defend himself is hit repeatedly in the head by a professional fighter.

Halo McCoy45

Betcha that ref has daughters.

Stagger McTipsy, AKA Captain Awesome Motherfucker36

McGregor is usually outclassed in most of his fights. And I'm not talking about morally or politically or whatever. He's just not good at his chosen line of work, period. If he wasn't such a loudmouthed asshole, nobody would've ever heard of him and he'd just be another "that guy who usually loses."

jackheer.bsky.social23

A sick sport for sicko's

Ang18

If only this could happen to all rapists...

LaMeep16

It's okay to punch rapists and Nazis even when they're down.

Quoting this

Democrats In Array8

Okay maybe i watch my first UFC fight after all

brianmaxhouston.bsky.social4

Its been quite a satisfying few days all the same.

Dottie Doggo3

It’s very important to make fun of Connor McGregor for his weak performance. It will anger a terrible evil man. It will also anger ALL the weak and terrible men who worship him, too.

L'Ours Noir Canadien3

@yayonne.bsky.social @doomgenesis.bsky.social @ticoqrouge.bsky.social J'espère qu'ils vont faire ça en sketch au bye-bye!!!!

Justin Bailey

@justinbailey.bsky.social

Conor McGregor blows his knee apart in first THREE SECONDS of #UFC329 and promptly loses lmaoooo couldn’t have happened to a better guy!! 🤡🤡

46845d ago

Daniel Tirebiter37

Whiffing the kick just makes it that much better. I can’t imagine the hubris that told his broken-down shitbird ass “I can close that gap and knock him out with one shot,” but I sure do appreciate it.

BTPowered7

Just as satisfying as Vince tearing BOTH quads after that Royal Rumble botch.

Duder Dudre6

I think I have that same model of clock. Great old thing. Lmao at the dumbass

🦂 Scorpiono: Fuck Lindsey Graham! I stand w/ the Bison 🐂6

Conman McGregor strikes again. (Please don't cast him in anymore movies. He's a sh!tty actor. Even when he's essentially just playing himself)

Nancy6

I knew when I saw this look in his eyes after he rushed Holloway at the presser he was scared shitless. I used to like this guy when I first started watching MMA w/ my kids In 2014. I’m so glad he lost but I would’ve loved to see Max knock him out.

Muz5

Mohawk to Nowalk in 30 seconds

Quoting this

David Avallone36

If watching a rapist injure himself while also being humiliated is your kind of thing, here's a gift.

Nate Ming31

just beautiful couldn't have happened to a nicer guy 🙏

Big Immigrant Naturals.26

As someone whose knee has exploded and who acutely knows the white-hot cataclysmic pain that he must have been feeling at that moment, let me just say: lmao get rekt

Neugin26

If you're having a bad day, some heartwarming news

Joad The Wet Sprocket18

In other Man Parts Being Blown news,

Da Original Heathen16

THATS A SHAME DOT GIF

Jon C10

Omg he did the tweet

Molly Maeve9

and that’s what happens when ur a loser ass rapist, meanwhile paddy the baddy who is an advocate for mental health is over here finishing with a crocodile death roll in minute 1

Josh_Brews_Beer ⭕️⚡️🐊🐷9

Couldn’t have happened to a worse person. Get fu*ked Connor McGregor.

April9

You don't have to wish bad things, but you also can laugh when they happen to terrible people.

David Bixenspan

@davidbix.com

It just occurred to me that Conor McGregor has fought Max Holloway twice and tore his ACL in both fights. 13 years apart.

10345d ago

Brian Floyd

@brianmfloyd.bsky.social

watching connor tear his acl in about three seconds and max holloway tee off on him for about a minute after was delightful

7645d ago

Papa Nick5

Max was looking to the ref like “please bro don’t make me kick him in the knee”

Mookie Alexander

@mookiealexander.bsky.social

"Let's give it up for Conor McGregor" - Max Holloway *Indifference and boos ensue*

5545d ago

INBELLA

@inbella.bsky.social

Convicted rapist Conor McGregor returned to UFC following a 5-year absence for his comeback fight against Max https://www.inbella.com/1648116/convicted-rapist-conor-mcgregor-returned-to-ufc-following-a-5-year-absence-for-his-comeback-fight-against-max-holloway-and-blew-his-knee-69-seconds-in/ …

2745d ago

Quoting this

Jum 2

*reads the headline on the link* Nice

Danlaw83

@danlaw83.bsky.social

Reminder about Conor McGregor, as I see "allies" celebrating that actual criminal, that he assaulted Nikta Hand so violently, she had to have her tamp0n removed surgically. www.sinardaily.my/article/2234... #UFC329

2945d ago

Daniel Tirebiter

@danmofftarkin.bsky.social

He didn’t have a chance to get his ass beat. The dumbass rushed in for a knockout kick when the bell rang, but he was too slow and too far away so Holloway just stepped aside and McGregor blew his knee out on the landing. The slo-mo video is really funny.

2844d ago

Callum Novelli

@callumnovelli.bsky.social

Conor McGregor threw one leg kick and blew his own knee out 😂 what a fucking weapon, definitely retire and don’t come back you rapist dog cunt 👏

2845d ago

Zane Simon

@zanesimon.bsky.social

Big shout out to the longtime Vivi listener who got pissed at us for not breaking down a detailed plan of how Holloway would beat McGregor, and instead just saying that McGregor is too old, drugged, and broken to even consider him winning this fight.

2244d ago

AFinRenoFightsBack 🌊2026 🌊

@callyson.bsky.social

“The long-awaited return of Conor McGregor ended with a whimper as the UFC superstar injured his leg in the opening seconds of his fight” Karma’s a bitch. I love her: www.espn.com/mma/story/_/...

1845d ago

Thomas O’Mahony

@gotitatguineys.bsky.social

The fact that Max Holloway didn’t completely turn McGregor into mince meat when he knew he was defenceless really highlights the fact that everyone just kind of knew this was going to be the end result.

2444d ago

Migz

@migztakesclips.bsky.social

Conor McGregor suffers a leg injury and loses to Max Holloway in the first round of UFC 329. 💀

1745d ago

Quoting this

Henny Gesserit2

Couldn't have happened to a better anal polyp

Victor, loves noodles

@vicmrodriguez.bsky.social

Max Holloway continues to be a gentleman. not pressing on the gas knowing his opponent's injured. what the hell was Conor's gameplan here? jumping around like a goofball. simply embarrassing. it's what the UFC deserves, frankly.

1045d ago

Ringside News: WWE & AEW Wrestling News

@ringsidenews.com

Conor McGregor vs Max Holloway gets thrown out after McGregor appeared to blow out his right knee with his first kick. | #UFC329

1145d ago

Quoting this

Jason Ounpraseuth2

and UFC fans had the audacity to make fun of the Rousey-Carano finish.

3 sources

bbc.co.ukMcGregor vs Holloway 2: Conor McGregor injured 69 seconds into UFC comeback nzherald.co.nzConor McGregor returns to UFC octagon for Max Holloway rematch cbssports.comUFC 329 live fight results: Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway updates, fight card, highlights from Las Vegas

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Max Holloway wins as Conor McGregor exits early at UFC 329

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