Conor McGregor’s highly anticipated comeback to the UFC came to a painful and abrupt end Saturday night when his knee gave out on the very first kick he threw against Max Holloway, with the bout being stopped after just 69 seconds.
McGregor’s coach, John Kavanagh, took to Facebook to address speculation that the fighter may have entered the match already dealing with an injury. Kavanagh firmly rejected that idea.
“Devastated,” Kavanagh wrote. “That opening jump switch kick was drilled daily for months, multiple times in warmup. Never an issue. Knee went when he (threw) the very first kick. Doesn’t get any worse than this.”
After McGregor landed from the kick, his right leg buckled beneath him. He tried to push forward and continue fighting, but was unable to stay on his feet, prompting the referee to step in and stop the contest.
UFC president and CEO Dana White said the organization’s medical team believes McGregor suffered a torn ACL. White also pushed back against social media chatter suggesting the fighter was already hurt before the match started.
“If there was a preexisting injury, somebody would have noticed,” White said. “I don’t think there was. Anything is possible, but he sure didn’t look like it. And for 80 million people (to watch him) on my account alone, that overall number has to be massive. Nobody noticed anything, so, there you go.”
The ending drew painful comparisons to McGregor’s last UFC appearance in July 2021, when he broke his right tibia against Dustin Poirier, also resulting in a doctor’s stoppage at the end of the first round.
McGregor, who turns 38 on Tuesday, addressed his fans directly through his X account in the early hours of Sunday morning, insisting he was fully prepared going into the fight and promising he will be back.
“I was so sharp and so ready for this fight I cannot believe what has happened. The talk of me being off while walking in to the fight is nonsense,” McGregor posted. “I was calm, ready and confident. I am in shock what has taken place. The devil is literally staring at me right in front of my face here. I am not engaging. I will be at church tomorrow.”
He closed his message with a defiant pledge: “I will overcome this. I will not be deterred. I will return.”
