Conor McGregor's attempt to resurrect his fighting career collapsed almost immediately Saturday night at UFC 329 in Las Vegas, when a catastrophic knee injury ended the bout against Max Holloway just 1:09 into the first round.
The Irish fighter, returning to competition for the first time in more than five years, opened aggressively with a flying left roundhouse kick in the opening seconds. He landed awkwardly on his right knee, and the damage appeared severe. After attempting two more strikes, McGregor (22-7-0) could no longer continue the scheduled five-round welterweight match.
UFC President Dana White said doctors suspect a torn ACL. "Five years off in this sport is rough," White told observers at the sold-out T-Mobile Arena. "We're assuming a blown ACL. That's what I assumed when I saw it, and that's what the doctors think, too."
The 37-year-old McGregor had entered as a significant underdog at +240 odds. Holloway (28-9-0) closed as the betting favorite and barely threw a punch before the fight was effectively over.
"What can I say? I had him weak in the knees I guess," Holloway quipped after the finish. "So much hype. We've got to run it back one more time. For it to end like this sucks."
McGregor's absence from the octagon spanned exactly five years and one day. His last fight came in January 2020, a 40-second knockout of Donald Cerrone. Between then and Saturday, he suffered a broken left leg in a 2021 loss to Dustin Poirier that derailed his momentum and sparked years of speculation about whether he would ever fight again.
The McGregor-Holloway matchup was a rematch of their 2013 featherweight encounter, which McGregor won by unanimous decision. He had branded the comeback attempt as "the comeback of all comebacks in sports history."
Before his injury troubles, McGregor had been the UFC's biggest draw. In 2016, he became the first fighter to hold championship belts simultaneously across two different weight classes. His 2017 boxing match against Floyd Mayweather Jr., which he lost, reportedly generated more than $100 million in earnings for the Irishman.
Saturday's early exit was not the only quick finish on the card. Paddy Pimblett of England submitted Benoit Saint Denis of France in a lightweight bout after just 52 seconds.
Author James Rodriguez: "Five years away, one terrible minute back, and McGregor's biggest comeback story just became his most painful exit from the sport."
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