WHAT was supposed to be a grand comeback for flamboyant fighter Conor McGregor ended in absolute dismay in Las Vegas as the main event of UFC 329 lasted only 69 seconds on Saturday (Sunday, July 12, 2026, PH time).
The former two-weight world champion McGregor, who had not fought in the Octagon since July 2021, succumbed to a knee injury in the very first round and the rematch against Max Holloway that happened after 13 years ended in an anti-climactic manner.
Referee Mike Beltran stopped the welterweight bout as Holloway barely broke a sweat on his way to a technical knockout win.
But Holloway, who got even after the 2013 loss to McGregor, is not pleased with the result. The former featherweight champ wants to fight McGregor again.
“It is what it is, I’m going to sit down with the UFC,” Holloway said in a post-fight interview. “So much hype for that right there. We’ve got to run it back one more time. One more time for the boys.”
Meanwhile, McGregor walked off the arena after the fight but later on posted on social media following the negative feedbacks he’s getting.
The 37-year-old explained that it’s not a plan like the fight fans thought and he had no injury heading into the fight.
“My head gasket is gone. Destroyed. I had no injury/injuries going into the fight. I was throwing kicks, planted and jumping, all throughout camp as well as backstage before the fight. This came out of nowhere. I am beyond dark here. I can only describe it as hell,” McGregor wrote on X (formerly Twitter). / RSC
