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.
