TLDR
- Conor McGregor injured his right knee attempting a flying kick just 69 seconds into his UFC 329 fight against Max Holloway
- Daniel Cormier defended McGregor’s strategy, comparing it to successful surprise attacks by Jorge Masvidal and Fabricio Werdum
- McGregor announced he will undergo surgery and plans to return for the final fight on his UFC contract
- Dustin Poirier rejected conspiracy theories, saying McGregor is a competitor and not a quitter despite their rivalry
- The 38-year-old McGregor had been away from UFC for five years before his comeback attempt ended in injury
Sources: bjpenn.com | yardbarker.com | mmamania.com
Conor McGregor’s highly anticipated comeback at UFC 329 lasted just 69 seconds before a right knee injury ended his fight against Max Holloway. Now UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier is defending the Irish fighter’s decision to open with an aggressive flying kick.
Cormier, who was commentating at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, said critics should remember that similar tactics have worked for other fighters. “I think we need to be careful when we judge because there have been times when people have done crazy things to start fights, and they’ve worked, and we praise the athlete as if they’re some genius,” Cormier said after the event.
The former two-division champion pointed to Jorge Masvidal’s famous flying knee knockout of Ben Askren and Fabricio Werdum’s running kick against Travis Browne as examples. “Had Conor landed that, everybody would praise him for what he did,” Cormier explained.
McGregor attempted the flying kick within seconds of the opening bell. He appeared to blow out his knee on the attempt, and referee Mike Beltran stopped the fight when Holloway noticed something was wrong.
Dustin Poirier shuts down conspiracies that Conor McGregor came into the fight injured and quit against Max Holloway
"I just don't think he's a quitter like that. I say a lot of bad stuff about him, but a quitter, I'm not sure.
He's a real competitor and wants to win. And I… https://t.co/UHIejSwcKT pic.twitter.com/q9PNqBKZDx
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) July 13, 2026
McGregor Plans Surgery and Return
On Monday, McGregor posted on Instagram about his plans for recovery and a return to fighting. “Surgery. Prehab. Return to martial arts practice. Go again,” he wrote. “Final fight of the contract. Praise God!”
The fighter turns 38 on Tuesday and has one bout remaining on his UFC contract. He did not provide details about the exact nature of his injury or when he might return to the octagon.
In a social media post after the fight, McGregor said he had no injuries going into UFC 329. “I was throwing kicks, planted and jumping, all throughout camp as well as backstage before the fight,” he wrote. “This came out of nowhere.”
McGregor has recovered from serious leg injuries before. He tore his ACL in 2013 during his first fight with Holloway and broke his leg in a 2021 loss to Dustin Poirier.
Poirier Rejects Conspiracy Theories
Dustin Poirier, who has fought McGregor three times, also weighed in on the injury. He rejected conspiracy theories suggesting McGregor knew about a pre-existing injury or threw the fight intentionally.
“I’ve had a lot of time with Conor over the past 12 years, and I just don’t think he’s a quitter like that,” Poirier told Teddy Atlas. “He’s a real competitor and wants to win, 100 percent.”
Poirier questioned why McGregor would open with a kick if he knew his knee was injured. “If you wanted to go down that path… wouldn’t you do it with punches?” he asked. “Why would you do it with an injured weapon?”
The former interim lightweight champion suggested the kick was a result of adrenaline and nerves after five years away from competition. “Five years is a long time in fighting,” Poirier said. “He’s not the same Conor.”
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Poirier beat McGregor twice at lightweight, including a knockout at UFC 257 and a trilogy fight at UFC 264 where McGregor broke his leg. Despite their rivalry, Poirier defended McGregor’s character as a fighter.
UFC CEO Dana White said the organization is mulling over ideas for McGregor’s next fight if he returns. White said he had “five ideas” for potential opponents if McGregor had won at UFC 329.
