Conor McGregor’s Short Fight Ends in Injury

Conor McGregor’s return to the UFC didn’t go as planned. He kicked off his match against Max Holloway with a flying roundhouse, a move many might consider daring. But shortly after, he sustained an injury, wrapping up what was supposed to be a long-anticipated comeback in under a minute.

Joe Rogan didn’t hold back, criticizing McGregor’s risky choice during his first fight since 2021. He remarked, “He tried a crazy move. If you don’t land it right, it puts a lot of pressure on your knees. He landed his knees in the worst possible position,” speaking during the post-game analysis.

Footage reveals that McGregor landed awkwardly on his right foot and then slipped while attempting another kick.

With less than four minutes remaining in the first round, he tried to get back into the action with more kicks but ultimately halted due to a knee injury, prompting the referee to end the bout.

Logan speculated that McGregor might have destroyed his anterior cruciate ligament with that very first kick. “It’s unfortunate, but I wouldn’t have made that choice,” he added. UFC president Dana White echoed these sentiments, mentioning that he and medical staff believe McGregor, now 37, could have a torn ACL. His last fight had been against Dustin Poirier on July 10, 2021.

Daniel Cormier, Rogan’s co-analyst, suggested that McGregor’s long break may have played a part in the outcome. “When you’re away for a long time and then return, it feels like being shot out of a cannon,” he explained. “You might see them doing things that don’t quite make sense after such a hiatus. I think that’s what we saw with Conor.”

Meanwhile, Rogan hinted that McGregor’s aggressive start could’ve been part of a deliberate strategy, perhaps as a way to showcase his kicking ability following surgery on his left foot.

After the fight, McGregor took to X, expressing his devastation over the injury, insisting he had been in good health prior to this incident. “The head gasket is gone. It was destroyed. There were no injuries during the game,” he stated.

“In training and backstage, we were throwing kicks and jumping. This just happened out of nowhere. It’s dark here. It’s hell,” he added, clearly feeling the impact of his quick exit from the ring.