Conor McGregor has confirmed the severity of his knee injury sustained against Max Holloway and plots a return for the summer of 2027.
The Irishman suffered a catastrophic injury just seconds into his UFC 329 main event with Holloway - his first time in the cage for five years - when he landed awkwardly after throwing a jumping roundhouse kick.
His long-anticipated comeback bout was subsequently called off by the referee after just 69 seconds, with McGregor hobbling out of the Octagon amid a growing resignation that his career might be over.
The 38-year-old has now confirmed that he suffered injuries to both his ACL and meniscus, just as he did in his first fight with “Blessed” 13 years earlier.
He faces a lengthy period on the sidelines but has vowed to return to the cage once again after recovering.
“Update: it was ACL and meniscus,” McGregor posted on X. “It is the same injury as the first Holloway fight, only this time the opposite leg. Quite shocking.
“I returned to competition within nine months to fight Diego Brandao back then. With today’s regenerative medicine advancements and improved training methods it is well within my realm to return by next summer.
“I am walking without a crutch. I done leg extension machine work the other day to no issue. So I can walk without aid, and activate my quad under resistance. All very positive. I am maximum discipline and have maintained it fully since the bout.”
He added: “I wonder was I saved from something worse here. I believe so. I would have attended the after party as “the man” and who knows then. I believe I was saved.
“Thank you God! On we go, no sad stories. Thank you for the support and well wishes everyone, your health is your wealth.”
McGregor’s appearance at UFC 329 was his first in the cage since a sustaining a similarly devastating leg injury against Dustin Poirier in 2021, which marked back-to-back defeats against the “Diamond”.
It also marked his return following a 2024 civil case in which a jury found him liable for sexual assault in 2018. McGregor continues to deny all allegations against him, although his appeal against the verdict failed.
