7/13/26

In one of the most disappointing ways possible, Conor McGregor and Max Holloway didn’t make it past even 70 seconds in the octagon due to McGregor suffering a knee injury on the first kick he threw. The five-year-long anticipation and the massive build-up to this fight that had the entire world of MMA fans watching was over in a flash. McGregor would throw a switch kick in the first two seconds of the fight, in which he would land awkwardly on his right leg. His knee then buckled, and instantly McGregor, Holloway, and fans knew something was wrong. Conor tried to get up and tough it out, but he couldn’t put pressure on the leg and was severely compromised. It got to the point where he could barely stand, and the fight was called off, giving Holloway the win.

Despite the massive disappointment for everyone involved, McGregor says he is not done, and while this is one of his darkest moments, he will be back. He has one more fight left on his contract, and he wants to see it through. With the injury, he will be out for likely 9 months to recover from the surgery. That, paired with a full training camp, looks like it will be at least a year before McGregor sniffs a fight. This is coming from Conor himself, who loves the fight game and doesn’t want to leave it behind, especially in this fashion. Many think he should retire, as he has already suffered one of the most brutal injuries in the sport when he snapped his leg in half against Dustin Poirier and now his second knee injury of his career.

McGregor is also about to be 38 and will be close to 39 if he ever competes again. Age and injuries have already caught up to him, and the sport might pass him as well. The likelihood of him getting any big-time names now is much lower, and sadly, the draw for him to fight may dwindle as well. The McGregor effect was in full swing for this fight and drew millions upon millions of views for just a press conference, let alone the fight itself. However, the disappointment and lackluster result has left fans thinking that it was always too good to be true. McGregor’s next fight if it does happen will obviously draw viewers but it may not be the same and fans will always look back to this moment as a dark spot on McGregor’s legendary career.