For better or worse, Conor McGregor did get paid on Sunday (AEST).
The UFC’s biggest star had a nightmare return from a five-year injury-induced layoff, where, despite coming in completely healthy, he immediately lunged at opponent Max Holloway with a flying switch kick to the head that did not land, resulting in a right knee injury and the end of the fight before it even started.
He announced in an Instagram post on Monday morning that he will undergo surgery and intends to return to mixed martial arts, although it is unclear whether he has a fully blown-out knee or just a torn meniscus.
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“Surgery. Prehab. Return to martial arts practice. Go again. Final fight of the contract. Please, God!” McGregor said in a post on Instagram that also dives into his newfound faith in god.
McGregor made big money on Sunday, even without the performance he was looking to put together for the promotion, as the UFC’s biggest star surely made it into eight figures despite the 69-second TKO loss, in which he did not land a punch.
He now heads into the final fight of his UFC contract before entering free agency, where there will be a litany of suitors regardless of whether he wins or loses.
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Most Valuable Promotions and Jake Paul have been champing at the bit to get a chance at signing McGregor, while boxing has called his number on multiple occasions as well.
Whether McGregor will be back in any sort of timely manner remains unknown, as the nature of his injury has yet to be revealed.
UFC president Dana White told reporters that he “assume[s] it’s a blown ACL,” which would likely have McGregor on the shelf for the better part of a year or more.
If McGregor is lucky, it’s a torn meniscus and only a three-to-six-month timetable.