Conor McGregor has confirmed that he underwent knee surgery on Monday, three weeks after his comeback fight against Max Holloway ended in a first-round stoppage. McGregor tore his ACL and meniscus in the opening seconds of the UFC 329 main event.The injury is expected to keep him out for roughly a year and marks the fifth surgery of his career. He has one fight remaining on his current UFC contract, and his next appearance, already dubbed his Last Dance, could determine whether he steps into the Octagon again.
Conor McGregor drops latest knee injury update
Conor McGregor confirmed the procedure himself on social media Monday, posting a video from what he described as the start of his recovery process. He wrote, “What’s up folks, it’s ‘The Mac.’ Off to get surgery today,” before adding that he planned to head into the operating room with his usual bravado intact. “Wish me well. I’m going to fuel up with a Mac Energy. Let’s go. We got this,” The Notorious added. In the caption, he confirmed the operation would be the fifth surgery of his career, a number that reflects how much wear his body has absorbed across more than a decade at the top of the sport.The surgery addresses damage McGregor suffered in the opening moments of his fight against Holloway, when a torn ACL and meniscus ended his comeback almost before it began.
How the injury happened at UFC 329
McGregor’s return to the Octagon had been five years in the making, and it lasted 69 seconds. He attempted a jumping scissor kick to open the fight, and his knee gave out on the landing. He tried to continue, slipping to the canvas twice as Holloway checked with referee Mike Beltran about stopping the contest. When the fighters stood again, Holloway landed one more kick before McGregor took an unsteady step back, prompting the stoppage at the 1:09 mark of the first round.The official result stands as Holloway defeating McGregor by TKO due to injury, a finish that left the T-Mobile Arena crowd stunned rather than celebrating the finish they’d expected from a rematch three years in the making.
What comes next for McGregor
The bigger question now hangs over McGregor’s UFC future. He has only one fight remaining on his current contract, and last week he called that fight his “Last Dance,” language that has fueled speculation about retirement. A yearlong recovery would push that potential final bout well into 2027, and if he doesn’t sign a new deal before then, McGregor could become a free agent for the first time in his career.For now, UFC brass have other business to attend to. Holloway has openly campaigned for a shot at lightweight champion Justin Gaethje, and a McGregor rematch is unlikely to be a priority while McGregor works his way back from the operating table.
