TLDR
- Conor McGregor lost to Max Holloway at UFC 329 in just 69 seconds after suffering a knee injury
- McGregor posted his first video message on his 38th birthday promising to return to fighting
- The injury occurred when McGregor planted his right leg during a roundhouse kick attempt
- Sports medicine doctors say the lack of a brace suggests no severe collateral ligament damage
- McGregor confirmed plans for surgery and aims to fight one more time to finish his UFC contract
Sources: yardbarker.com | flashscore.co.uk | ladbible.com
Conor McGregor posted his first video message since suffering a knee injury that ended his UFC comeback in just 69 seconds earlier this month. The former two-division champion shared footage on his birthday showing him with his wife before addressing fans directly.
“We’ll be back,” McGregor said in the video. “In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Let’s go.”
The 38-year-old fighter was making his first UFC appearance since breaking his left leg in a 2021 loss to Dustin Poirier. His return at UFC 329 in Las Vegas against Max Holloway ended quickly when he injured his right leg attempting a leaping roundhouse kick.
McGregor fell to the mat three times before the referee stopped the fight. He described the injury as his “head gasket is gone. Destroyed,” which many interpret as torn knee ligaments.
🚨 Conor McGregor spoke about the loss to Max Holloway for the first time in new video:
“We’ll be back! In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Let’s go.” pic.twitter.com/tRxLZGg7s3
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) July 15, 2026
What Doctors Say About the Injury
Sports medicine specialist Dr. Brian Sutterer analyzed McGregor’s birthday video on social media. He noted that the absence of a visible brace likely rules out severe collateral ligament tears.
Sutterer wrote that this means no high-grade MCL or LCL damage, though it reveals nothing about the ACL or meniscus. The range of motion McGregor displayed suggests at least 90 degrees of flexion, which Sutterer called a positive sign.
A meniscus injury would give McGregor the best chance at returning by April 2027. If the ACL is torn for the second time in his career, recovery could take a year or longer.
The UFC has not released official details about McGregor’s specific diagnosis or whether surgery is required. McGregor confirmed in a social media post that surgery is planned.
McGregor’s Return Plans
In a detailed social media post, McGregor outlined his path forward. “Surgery. Prehab. Return to martial arts practice. Go again. Final fight of the contract. Please God!” he wrote.
The fighter insisted he had no injuries going into the UFC 329 bout. “I was so sharp and so ready for this fight I cannot believe what has happened,” McGregor posted the day after the loss.
McGregor described himself as “calm, ready, and confident” walking into the fight. He said the injury “came out of nowhere” and that he had been throwing kicks and jumping throughout his training camp.
Max Holloway, who won the fight, joked about making McGregor “weak in the knees” afterward. Holloway expressed interest in fighting McGregor again when he recovers.
“Thank you Conor for fight. Took a lot to make that walk after these past few years,” Holloway posted. “Sending prayers for a speedy recovery.”
McGregor lost to Holloway in their first meeting back in 2013. The UFC 329 loss marks McGregor’s third straight defeat in the octagon.
The Irish fighter turns 38 this week and faces mandatory suspension from competition following the fight. Combat sports organizations routinely bar athletes from fighting for set periods after matches to ensure proper recovery.
McGregor’s last three UFC appearances have been spread across six years. If he follows through with his stated plans, his final contracted fight would not occur until at least April 2027 at the earliest.
