Conor McGregor's highly anticipated return to the octagon lasted barely a minute on Saturday as the Irishman blew out his knee and was forced to retire in his UFC 329 fight against Max Holloway in Las Vegas.

The former two-weight world champion, who had not fought since breaking his leg against Dustin Poirier in July 2021, attempted a flying kick to start the opening round but landed awkwardly and immediately signaled to the referee that he could not continue.

Former featherweight champion Holloway expressed willingness to discuss a rematch once McGregor recovers, stating, "We've got to run it back one more time." This was the second bout between the pair, with McGregor winning the first by unanimous decision in 2013.

Injuries and off-cage issues have derailed McGregor's career. The 37-year-old was scheduled to face Michael Chandler in June 2024, but that fight was canceled after McGregor broke his toe in training. Later that year, an Irish civil court found him liable for the rape of Nikita Hand in 2018.

In October 2025, he accepted an 18-month ban for anti-doping violations. In the co-main event, Britain's Paddy Pimblett choked out Frenchman Benoit Saint-Denis in under a minute.

Source: www.aljazeera.com