Conor McGregor to undergo surgery on knee injury which ended return fight against Max Holloway at UFC 329 but hopes to fight again

13.07.2026, 21:39 skysports.com

Conor McGregor will undergo surgery after his return fight against Max Holloway at UFC 329 ended prematurely due to knee injury, but he hopes to fight again.

The ​former two-weight world champion suffered the injury in the opening moments of his ​fight with Holloway on Saturday ‌in Las Vegas when he landed awkwardly after attempting a jump ​kick.

McGregor tried to fight on for a few seconds but looked towards the referee to signal ​he could not continue.

"All things work ⁠out for my good! All ⁠things are possible for me because I am a believer!" McGregor wrote ‌on Instagram. "Surgery. Prehab. Return to martial arts practice. Go again. Final fight of the contract. Please God!"

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Speaking after the fight, UFC president Dana White said: "Five years off in this sport is rough.

"We're assuming a blown ACL. That's what I assumed when I saw it, and that's what the doctors think, too."

Asked if there may have been an existing injury, White said there were no signs of it at Friday's ceremonial weigh-in. White added that with the millions of social-media views of McGregor rushing Holloway at the weigh-in, someone would have noticed if anyone was injured.

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On Sunday, McGregor's manager, John Kavanagh, said his client did not have a previous knee injury.

"That opening jump switch kick was drilled daily for months, multiple times in warm-up. Never an issue," Kavanagh wrote on Facebook.

"Knee went when he [threw] the very first kick. Doesn't get any worse than this."

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Following the fight, McGregor also said he had no previous injury. "I was throwing kicks, planted and jumping, all throughout camp as well as backstage before the fight," McGregor said on X.

"I had no injury/injuries going into the fight."

Injuries ‌and issues away from the sport have derailed the 37-year-old Irishman's career.

After breaking his leg against Dustin Poirier five years ago, McGregor was slated to meet Michael ⁠Chandler in June 2024 but that ​was cancelled after McGregor suffered a broken ​toe in training.

Later that year a jury ​in an Irish civil court found him liable ⁠for the rape of Nikita Hand in 2018.

In October 2025, he accepted an 18-month ban for "whereabouts failures" ⁠after he missed three attempts ​by Combat Sports Anti-Doping to collect biological samples ​from him in 2024. The ban was backdated and expired in March.