Conor McGregor has wasted no time plotting his return after his devastating UFC 329 defeat, declaring he will take part in one final fight on his current UFC contract, and he’s already named the man he wants standing across the Octagon.
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Just 69 seconds into his blockbuster showdown with Max Holloway, McGregor’s hopes of a fairytale comeback were shattered after suffering a serious knee injury that forced the fight to be stopped.
Despite the heartbreaking ending, the former two-division champion took to Instagram to confirm he intends to return for the final fight of his UFC contract.
“What was to be a generational beating is now to be reset,” McGregor wrote.
“IFW 2027. The Last Dance.”
International Fight Week 2027 in Las Vegas is now firmly in McGregor’s sights, with the Irish superstar eager to complete his trilogy with Holloway after their long-awaited rematch ended in dramatic fashion.
UFC president Dana White later confirmed McGregor had suffered a torn ACL and meniscus, 13 years after tearing the ACL in his opposite knee during his first fight against Holloway.
Speculation quickly emerged that McGregor had entered the bout carrying the injury or suffered it during his warm-up, but White dismissed those suggestions.
“I have no idea,” White said.
“The doctors checked before the fight.
“He looked damn good at the press conference, and he looked fine at the weigh-ins.
“Just on my accounts, the face-off has had 80 million views. So, if there was a pre-existing injury, somebody would have noticed it.”
McGregor defeated Holloway by unanimous decision in 2013 before Holloway squared the ledger at UFC 329, leaving the pair locked at 1-1 and setting the stage for a blockbuster decider.
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The former two-weight champion has one fight remaining on his current UFC contract but has not ruled out signing a new deal once it expires.