Conor McGregor’s hyped UFC return has come to a crushing end barely after it even got started, with the Irish superstar suffering a serious knee injury at the start of the first round against Max Holloway.
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Sunday’s fight marked the first time McGregor had stepped in the octagon in almost five years, having last fought Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone at UFC 254.
But McGregor lasted just 69 seconds after appearing to blow out his knee after trying a running kick at the start of the first round.
McGregor then tried a head kick, slipping on both attempts and it was immediately obvious something had gone horribly wrong with the fight called off as the UFC world was left in “stunned disbelief” as blow-by-blow commentator Jon Anik put it.
UFC boss Dana White later told reporters McGregor is feared to have torn his ACL.
“I was expecting at least a one-round war, who knew what Conor was capable of in terms of cardo after a five-year lay-off,” White said.
“But there you go. We’re assuming blown ACL. I’m no doctor but that’s what I figured when I saw it and the doctors think the same thing, too.”
It was a devastating end to the fight for McGregor, who suffered a gruesome break in the lower half of his left leg in 2021 against Dustin Poirier.
“That is crazy,” Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier said in commentary.
“Are you kidding me… you could almost see the knee tear.”
It was a sombre scene, with Holloway not even celebrating as he went to comfort McGregor and later told the restless crowd to “give it up” for the former two-division champion.
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Holloway said he was open to the idea of another rematch against McGregor, having first fought the Irishman in 2013.
That bout was just as dramatic, with McGregor tearing his ACL midway through the fight while Holloway also injured his ankle in the opening exchanges.
That one went the distance, however, with McGregor winning by decision.
This victory, on the other hand, felt hollow and a later replay even showed that McGregor’s injured leg may have been compromised before the fight started when he made his ringwalk.
White, however, refuted those suggestions along with claims McGregor had even looked in pain taking his shoes off during the pre-fight press conference.
“The day of the press conference, he came running out of the back and ran right up to him and stopped abruptly and squared up with them,” White said.
“They were pushing foreheads. I didn’t see that. The doctors check them out before the fight, and he looked damn good at the press conference, and he looked fine at the weigh-ins. If anybody saw anything that could’ve possibly made him look weak or injured leading up to this fight, what did the f***ing faceoff do – 44 million in 24 hours. More? More than 44 million views.
“Somebody would’ve seen something. If somebody saw something, they didn’t say it, which is impossible. Nobody would do that.”
Max Holloway’s classy post-fight speech | 01:35
While Holloway said he would contemplate a rematch when McGregor returns, it is possible this could be the end of the Irishman in the UFC as he faces another lengthy recovery at 37 years old.
“Give it up for Conor McGregor guys,” Holloway said post-fight.
“What an absolute animal. He kept asking to fight on. You guys are lucky, there’s going to be a Holloway vs. McGregor 3 now. What can I say? I had him weak in the knees, I guess. It is what it is.
“So much hype for that. We’ve got to run it back one more time. We need one more. For it to end like this, it sucks.”
PADDY ROARS BACK INTO TITLE CONTENTION
When Paddy Pimblett faced Justin Gaethje at UFC 324, a title shot was on the horizon if he won.
Instead, the fast-rising UFC superstar suffered a surprise loss — which has aged pretty well considering what Gaethje did to Ilia Topuria last month.
But now, Pimblett has soared back into title contention after a stunning first-round submission victory over Benoit Saint-Denis in the UFC 329 co-main event.
It took just 52 seconds for Pimblett to get the finish as BSD instantly tried for the takedown, only for it to backfire as he got reversed onto the ground.
Pimblett then got the choke locked in deep and Saint-Denis was little hope from that point.
“I’m like a f***ing spider,” Pimblett said post-fight.
“When I get a hold of you, you don’t f***ing get out. I told everyone what I was going to do. What now? Who wants it next.
“I’ll beat Ilia up. I’ll fight Conor or Max next. I don’t give a f***. I’ll beat anyone.”
50 SECONDS! Paddy chokes out BSD | 00:38
WHITTAKER’S STATEMENT RETURN
Robert Whittaker is back, and back in a big way.
In his first fight at 205 pounds, the former UFC champion silenced his doubters and made a statement as he scored a third-round TKO victory over Nikita Krylov in the featured prelim on the UFC 329 card.
It was the first time Whittaker had fought on the prelims since he defeated Colton Smith by TKO at UFC 160, and it was a similar result for the Australian this time around.
Whittaker spoke earlier in the week about how the move to light heavyweight had been “life-changing” and it showed in the octagon, with the 35-year-old pulling Krylov apart the longer the fight went on.
Eventually, it was a massive right hook that ended the fight with Whittaker appearing to break Krylov’s jaw in the process.
“Feast your eyes on that Reddit. Too small for light heavy? C’mon. Get some of that into ya,” Whittaker said post-fight.
“Honestly, there were a lot of nerves riding on it. Everybody has seen guys move up and slide down off back-to-back losses. But Bobby’s still got it by the looks of things.”
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GREEN COMES OUT OF NOWHERE TO STUN MCKINNEY
Terrance McKinney doesn’t know anything else other than first-round finishes.
But on Sunday he was on the wrong end of a fast flurry, with King Green coming from the clouds to secure a stunning first-round TKO victory over a fading McKinney.
The two close friends opened the UFC 329 main card in a fight that promised to deliver fireworks, and that was certainly the case in the opening round.
However, it looked like it would only be McKinney delivering them as he consistently pressured Green and landed some big shots.
At that point there were still two minutes left and it seemed like it was a question of if Green, who was already covered in blood, would even last until the bell.
Instead, Green flipped the script as he ripped to the body of a tiring McKinney and dropped him before doing just enough to get the finish just before the end of the first round.
It made it 27 finishes from 27 professional fights for McKinney, with the last eight now all coming in the first round.
King Green flips the script on McKinney! | 00:34
TITLE CHALLENGER WINS WILD BACK-AND-FORTH FIGHT
Don’t count out Brandon Royval.
The long-time flyweight contender re-established himself as a name to watch in the division after securing a third-round submission victory over rising talent Lone’er Kavanagh.
Royval entered Sunday’s fight off two-straight losses, having been knocked out by Manel Kape before a decision loss to now-champion Joshua Van.
Kavanagh, meanwhile, carried plenty of momentum into the fight with Royval after a short-notice victory over two-time champion Brandon Moreno in the UFC Mexico City main event.
Royval had a strong opening round before Kavanagh started to land in a big way in a chaotic second round, which also saw Royval getting through and eventually secure a late takedown.
The wild back-and-forth continued into the third as both fighters landed some huge shots, but in the end it was Royval who was able to take Kavanagh down and secure the choke.
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BAUTISTA CALLS FOR ‘NEXT SHOT AT THE TITLE’
Elsewhere, Mario Bautista avenged the first loss of his career as he dominated a gutsy Cory Sandhagen on his way to a unanimous decision victory (29-28 x3).
Sandhagen did well to not just get to the final bell but even land a few big shots in the process despite having a heavily compromised left leg.
It came after Bautista tried for a Suloev stretch and then knee bar near the end of the first round, leaving Sandhagen hobbled and in big trouble.
But Sandhagen adapted well and while he was able to do enough to survive the distance, Bautista didn’t really look threatened on his way to a clear victory on the scorecards.
“I lost my debut against him,” Bautista said after the win.
“I knew I could beat him, I just had to be prepared. It was just crazy how it turned about. Manifestation. I was trying to rip everything off. At the end of the round, I saw him walking to his corner limping. I’ll always finish strong.
“I think it says a lot about myself. I think I deserve that next shot at the title.”
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