Conor McGregor’s controversial return to the UFC ended in a first-round injury on Saturday – five years after his last fight ended in the same manner, in the same arena.
After breaking his leg in a first-round loss to Dustin Poirier in 2021, McGregor made his comeback against old foe Max Holloway in Las Vegas, and he appeared to injure himself in the opening seconds – perhaps while throwing a running, jumping kick.
McGregor soon slipped to the canvas, managed to stand after some ground and pound from Holloway, then fell again. When he stood for a second time after further strikes from his opponent, he stumbled and shook his head, leading the referee to wave off the fight. The bout was McGregor’s first since his leg break, and it came two years after a broken toe ruled him out of a fight with Michael Chandler.
It also came two years after a civil jury found the 37-year-old liable for rape. McGregor denies all allegations against him, but his appeal against the verdict failed.
Follow all the fallout from UFC 329, below:
UFC 329: McGregor vs Holloway LIVE
- Conor McGregor suffers injury inside 69 seconds of Max Holloway fight
- Injury occurs five years after McGregor broke his leg in first round against Dustin Poirier
- McGregor had not fought between those bouts; both injuries occurred in Vegas’s T-Mobile Arena
- Controversial Irishman turns 38 on Tuesday, but is retirement his only option?
- In 2024, civil jury found McGregor liable for rape in 2018
McGregor vs Holloway – round one
04:42 , Alex Pattle
McGregor runs across the cage and throws a high kick! Now another high kick, but he slips, and Holloway is throwing ground and pound already!
McGregor with some up-kicks, and finally he is able to stand. Low kick from Holloway.
McGregor falls again... Is his leg injured again??
More punches from Holloway, more up-kicks from McGregor.
Holloway lets McGregor up, but no... no... McGregor stumbles...
IT’S WAVED OFF. HE CAN’T CONTINUE. MCGREGOR IS INJURED AGAIN.
Pimblett vs Holloway next?
10:00 , Alex Pattle
It certainly won’t be Pimblett vs McGregor anyway, surely!
Pimblett calls out McGregor-Holloway winner after submission of Saint-Denis
UFC champ Makhachev, friend of Khabib, reacts
09:30 , Alex Pattle
Conor beat Conor congrats Max
— Makhachev Islam (@MAKHACHEVMMA) July 12, 2026
UFC icon Matt Brown's thoughts
09:00 , Alex Pattle
Told you Conor would never fight again!
— Matt Brown (@IamTheImmortal) July 12, 2026
Jake Paul reacts
08:30 , Alex Pattle
A lot of laughing emojis, that’s all we got from Jake Paul!
Machine Gun Kelly mocks McGregor over old feud
08:00 , Alex Pattle
Machine Gun Kelly reacts to Conor McGregor's loss to Max Holloway at #UFC329 — 5 years after VMA run-in 👀 pic.twitter.com/SS5BhavWKd
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) July 12, 2026
McGregor leaves the building
07:30 , Alex Pattle
Conor McGregor seen looking dejected leaving the octagon following his first-round leg injury.
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) July 12, 2026
🎥: @RMCSportCombat pic.twitter.com/KIsGgqhUI3
A lot of kicks – so no pre-existing injury?
07:00 , Alex Pattle
Footage of Conor McGregor warming up before the Max Holloway fight 🤔 #UFC329 pic.twitter.com/GxYYNn1Yyj
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) July 12, 2026
Anything awkward here?
06:30 , Alex Pattle
Conor McGregor before entering the octagon…
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) July 12, 2026
Something looked off 🤔 #UFC329 pic.twitter.com/WWL5m1q442
More from Dana White
06:23 , Alex Pattle
“Everyone who knows anything about the fight business, five years off in this sport is rough,” said UFC president Dana White.
“I was expecting at least a one-round war. Who knew what Conor was capable of after a five-year layoff, but there you go. We’re assuming a blown ACL.”
UFC boss White expected 'at least a one-round war'
06:15 , Alex Pattle
Dana White says he expected at least one round of war from McGregor vs Holloway
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) July 12, 2026
"I was expecting at least one round of war."
(Via @ufc ) pic.twitter.com/ZQWTBMu0cK
Doctor comments on McGregor injury
05:55 , Alex Pattle
An initial analysis from the great @BrianSuttererMD on what may have happened to Conor McGregor:
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) July 12, 2026
"Didn't see the classic shift you'd expect with an obvious ACL injury. I'd say meniscus is No. 1. An ACL is definitely possible and a concern, but it didn't have the definitive look… pic.twitter.com/RIpOSYiEdp
When will McGregor fight again or will he retire after latest injury?
05:40 , Alex Pattle
When will Conor McGregor fight again or will UFC star retire after latest injury?
McGregor’s career likely over?
05:33 , Alex Pattle
Can he ever be trusted again as a pay-per-view commodity?
In the US, the UFC has moved away from a PPV model this year, but in the UK and certain countries, it still exists.
Also, the UFC was no doubt counting on McGregor’s return to drive up Paramount+ subscriptions, at least.
McGregor’s dejection
05:28 , Alex Pattle
ACL injury could keep McGregor out for a year
05:21 , Alex Pattle
We don’t know for sure that it was an ACL issue, to be clear, but Joe Rogan on commentary speculated as much – and it was a reasonable suggestion.
Such injuries can take six to 12 months to heal.
That could mean that McGregor can’t even train properly until next July, and not fight until next autumn.
April return for McGregor?
05:19 , Alex Pattle
Here’s what he told journalist Ariel Helwani last month:
“Right now I am contracted, and I have both dates. I have both dates for my fights. I have 11 July. When would you think they would put me back in?
“When would you think they would put me back in? April 2027. It’s almost a year later, that’s ridiculous to me. I think, no?
“This is the way the contract was done, I don’t know. You’d have to ask Audie [Attar, manager] on all of that. I’m like: ‘Huh? Just give me the f***ing contract.’ It gets to that stage.”
Will McGregor be fit by then? Will he even fight again, ever?
We don’t know the specifics of the injury yet, but it could be an ACL issue.
Six years and counting
05:13 , Alex Pattle
McGregor’s last win was a 40-second stoppage of Donald Cerrone in January 2020.
It might prove to be his final UFC win ever.
The injury in photos
05:10 , Alex Pattle
The injury in photos
05:08 , Alex Pattle
The injury in photos
05:04 , Alex Pattle
Did Conor McGregor beat Max Holloway?
05:03 , Alex Pattle
Also lots of people searching this.
No, he did not.
How old is Conor McGregor?
05:01 , Alex Pattle
A lot of people are Googling this right now, ha.
McGregor turns 38 on Tuesday.
McGregor: a broken leg, a broken toe, and a new injury
05:00 , Alex Pattle
Five years ago in this same arena, McGregor broke his leg in round one, to lose to Dustin Poirier.
Two years ago, he was due to fight Michael Chandler in the T-Mobile Arena but broke his toe on two weeks’ notice.
And now, in the same venue, a first-round injury sees him lose to Holloway.
It’s time for McGregor to call it quits. His body has given up on him.
An intriguing replay
04:54 , Alex Pattle
The broadcast shows a replay of McGregor removing his shoes in the cageside area, before entering the Octagon, and the commentary team speculates that he might have tweaked a knee / leg / foot then...
Pure speculation, of course; it’s likelier that his first attack – the running, jumping high kick – was what tweaked his knee.
The fight in photos
04:53 , Alex Pattle
The fight in photos
04:52 , Alex Pattle
Post-fight interview from McGregor?
04:50 , Alex Pattle
Rogan wraps up his interview with Holloway, and then returns to the commentary table.
Nothing from McGregor?
One minute and nine seconds
04:49 , Alex Pattle
That’s how long this fight went. His loss to Poirier ended at the conclusion of the first round; this one didn’t even get close to that.
Holloway jokes about odd result
04:48 , Alex Pattle
“I had his knees weak, I guess,” Holloway jokes.
“It is what it is, I’m gonna sit down with the UFC. So much hype for that, damn. We’ve got to run it back.”
Holloway calls for rematch
04:47 , Alex Pattle
Unsurprisingly, Holloway calls for a third clash with McGregor.
McGregor injured immediately
04:44 , Alex Pattle
Replays seem to suggest that McGregor injured his right leg (not the one he broke in his last fight) with his very first movement of the fight: a running, jumping high kick.
You couldn’t write it.
04:39 , Alex Pattle
McGregor vs Holloway under way!
04:39 , Alex Pattle
AND WE’RE OFF!
Bruce Buffer with the fighter introductions...
04:37 , Alex Pattle
Bruce Buffer is making the introductions. Do not go anywhere. The fight will start in about 90 seconds.
Some boos for Holloway, the first for him in... forever?
Cheers for McGregor.
McGregor joins Holloway in the ring
04:35 , Alex Pattle
It sounds LOUD in T-Mobile Arena.
McGregor does the Billy strut.
Joe Rogan talks up the atmosphere in the building.
McGregor wanders near Holloway, who tries to engage with him, but McGregor turns away and acts nonchalant.
McGregor makes ring walk for first time in five years
04:31 , Alex Pattle
The smoke machine is out, preparing the haze for McGregor’s long-awaited entrance...
And now the sound of “Foggy Dew”, with green lights filtering through the smoke in T-Mobile Arena.
Here comes McGregor, mohawk and all.
A reminder of what’s happened in the five years since he last fought, including a rape case, broken leg, missed drug tests and more:
Why hasn’t Conor McGregor fought in five years? Rape case and drug tests explained
Holloway in the cage
04:29 , Alex Pattle
Holloway looks intense at first but more relaxed as he reaches the cageside area.
McGregor vs Holloway ring walks!
04:27 , Alex Pattle
HERE WE GO! The promo package is playing, which means the ring walks are seconds away...
Official time of Pimblett win
04:26 , Alex Pattle
Fifty-two seconds on the clock!
Pimblett pays tribute to Liverpool FC star Diogo Jota
04:22 , Alex Pattle
Last week marked a year since the death of Liverpool FC star Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva, both of whom died in a car crash.
Pimblett, an LFC fan, pays tribute to both and sings in their honour.
Pimblett calls out Gaethje, Topuria, McGregor and Holloway
04:19 , Alex Pattle
“Sub of the year, b***hes. I knew he was out, you know what I mean? They had to check him.
“I told everyone all week: he’s gonna shoot in, I’m gonna grab him, and I’m gonna choke him out. He was facedown on the canvas.
“I’m like a f***ing spider, mate. When I get ahold of you, you don’t get out – simple as that.
“I’ll beat Ilia up, I’ll f***ing rematch Justin, I’ll fight Conor or Max next.
“I don’t give a f***. give me anyone and I’ll punch their head in.”
Pimblett submits Saint-Denis in first minute!!
04:12 , Alex Pattle
Round one
Saint-Denis shoots for a takedown very early... but Pimblett counters with a D’arce choke!
It looks like a tight bicep grip... but BSD isn’t tapping...
He’s now face-down, under Pimblett, so the ref has to check BSD’s arm...
AND IT’S LIMP; HE’S OUT! IT’S OVER!
Pimblett vs Saint-Denis: chaos incoming?
04:08 , Alex Pattle
Bruce Buffer with the introductions, then our co-main event is under way. This could be wild...
Boos for BSD
04:05 , Alex Pattle
Saint-Denis’s entrance is booed HEAVILY.
Pimblett entrance has fans FIRED UP
04:04 , Alex Pattle
Pimblett’s entrance nearly takes the roof off the T-Mobile Arena. His star power has clearly not waned after his loss to Gaethje, and based on his demeanour and dancing, neither has his confidence.
Paddy The Baddy interview!
03:59 , Alex Pattle
Our own Will Castle interviewed Pimblett, who told Will about the “hate watches” fueling his bid to redeem himself after his loss to Gaethje.
One was Arsenal’s Champions League final loss to PSG; another was his rival Ilia Topuria’s own loss to Gaethje in June.
Paddy Pimblett and the ‘hate watches’ that fuel his UFC redemption story
Paddy Pimblett vs Benoit Saint-Denis
03:57 , Alex Pattle
Okay, Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett is in action next, as the co-main event arrives!
The Liverpudlian star faces France’s Benoit Saint-Denis, in what is expected to be a chaotic clash.
This really could go either way. Both men like to stand and trade leather, both have strong grappling skills, and both are keen to move into the championship picture – Pimblett having lost an interim-title fight to Justin Gaethje in January.
Here’s what ex-UFC champ Michael Bisping told us about this one:
Bisping explains UFC’s thinking behind Paddy Pimblett vs Benoit Saint-Denis match-up
Mike Tyson is among those in the crowd tonight
03:53 , Alex Pattle
“Iron Mike”, no stranger to controversy like McGregor, is ringside tonight.
Bautista gets the points win over Sandhagen
03:49 , Alex Pattle
Mario Bautista def. Cory Sandhagen via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Revenge for Bautista, after a seven-year wait!
Cory Sandhagen vs Mario Bautista
03:46 , Alex Pattle
Round three
Now it’s Sandhagen trying to take down Bautista against the fence!
He dumps him to the mat, but Bautista is quick to stand. He’s cut by his right eye, though.
Huge elbow by Sandhagen, but Bautista eats it well before the buzzer!
Cory Sandhagen vs Mario Bautista
03:45 , Alex Pattle
Round three
A left hand hurts Sandhagen! He drops to the mat, his knee perhaps not helping his stability...
But he is able to snatch a leg and threaten a submission from below Bautista!
Bautista plays it safe, sitting in place, and eventually he can stand and slip free.
Body-lock takedown and he’ll control Sandhagen for a while.
Cory Sandhagen vs Mario Bautista
03:40 , Alex Pattle
Round two
Good takedown defence from Sandhagen, who has outlanded Bautista in this round and has had to stay strong and alert in the clinch throughout a lot of the frame.
The commentary keep talking up his knee issue, but he’s not moving toooo badly.
Cory Sandhagen vs Mario Bautista
03:38 , Alex Pattle
Round two
Bautista immediately kicks the knee. His corner is telling him to keep it up...
Sandhagen with some sharp combinations upstairs, though; he’s still in this fight, but for how long? How severe is that knee issue?
Cory Sandhagen vs Mario Bautista
03:35 , Alex Pattle
Round one
This fight is being fought at such a fast pace, and we’re seeing a nice mix of the martial arts.
Bautista has Sandhagen looking a little worried with some hooks, before shooting for a double-leg out of nowhere!
He dumps down Sandhagen and takes the back by the fence... now, after a scramble, he transitions to a kneebar.
Sandhagen survives to the buzzer but is limping!!
Cory Sandhagen vs Mario Bautista
03:32 , Alex Pattle
Round one
Standing southpaw, Bautista gets right after Sandhagen with a head kick, pressuring hard, but a left hand stuns Bautista slightly.
The pair end up clinching against the fence, where – surprisingly – Sandhagen gets the better of the position.
They separate, and there’s a nice elbow from Sandhagen. He next darts forward, leaving Bautista unsure what’s coming his way.
Good right cross by Bautista, who’s orthodox now, but Sandhagen replies with a check hook and a body shot.
McGregor sports new look
03:22 , Alex Pattle
Trivial in the grand scheme of things, but... erm...
The King is back 🇮🇪
— UFC (@ufc) July 12, 2026
@TheNotoriousMMA HAS ARRIVED for #UFC329!
[ LIVE NOW on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/ZbZ02mj4dH
Cory Sandhagen vs Mario Bautista
03:20 , Alex Pattle
We move up to bantamweight next, where Cory Sandhagen and Mario Bautista square off in a rematch.
Sandhagen submitted Bautista in 2019, but the two Americans are very different fighters now.
Sandhagen is trying to bounce back from a title-fight loss to Merab Dvalishvili, while Bautista submitted Vinicius Oliveira last time out.
Heartbreak for Britain’s Kavanagh
03:13 , Alex Pattle
Kavanagh likely ahead going into that final round courtesy of a 10-8 in the second frame, but he couldn’t quite get over the line...
Royval submits Kavanagh in fight of the night!
03:11 , Alex Pattle
Round three
Royval is trying a rear naked choke, he’s not quite under the chin....
Now he is! Kavanagh taps!
WHAT. A. FIGHT.
Brandon Royval vs Lone’er Kavanagh
03:10 , Alex Pattle
Round three
Wow! Royval lands a couple of huge shots with Kavanagh against the fence, but Kavanagh’s counters are even cleaner!
How did Royval not go down there?! Kavanagh tries to snatch a guillotine...
It’s never quiiiite available, and Royval is able to get on top after a transition or two, trying an arm-triangle choke!
It looks bad for Kavanagh, but he survives for now!
Royval takes the back, though...
Brandon Royval vs Lone’er Kavanagh
03:07 , Alex Pattle
Round two
Oh! On delay, Royval drops to his knees! He’s hurt again...
He gets back up and eats some low kicks, before Kavanagh drives him to the fence in the clinch.
Royval defends a takedown, then gets to work again!
What a back and forth round this is. It’s likely still a 10-8 to Kavanagh, but wow: Royval DOES NOT stop.
Brandon Royval vs Lone’er Kavanagh
03:04 , Alex Pattle
Round two
Grazing head kick from Royval, it seems to skid off the forearm of Kavanagh first.
OH!! Big right hand has Royval reallllly wobbled! Kavanagh gets right after him with ground and pound, but Royval recovers some of his senses, trying to throw up a triangle choke...
Kavanagh is safe, but Royval is able to scramble to his feet!
Now Royval is throwing one-twos, with Kavanagh backed up to the fence! What?!
Brandon Royval vs Lone’er Kavanagh
03:00 , Alex Pattle
Round one
Royval is justtttt getting the better of the exchanges at the moment, managing range and timing well.
Royval backs up Kavanagh and shoots for a takedown against the fence. Kavanagh tries to defend with a guillotine, but he has no joy.
Kavanagh is able to stand late in the round and even trip Royval!
Still, a Royval round.
Brandon Royval vs Lone’er Kavanagh
02:57 , Alex Pattle
Round one
Decent southpaw cross from Royval, who is pushing forward early.
Nice left hook on the counter by Kavanagh, who stands orthodox.
Both guys land in another frantic exchange. Kavanagh’s nose is already reddened.
Kavanagh goes southpaw now, then back to orthodox.
Lots of near-misses for both flyweights here.
Brandon Royval vs Lone’er Kavanagh
02:54 , Alex Pattle
Kavanagh, just 27, beat ex-champion Brandon Moreno last time out. Can he notch another huge win here?
Brandon Royval vs Lone’er Kavanagh
02:43 , Alex Pattle
Next up, former flyweight title challenger Brandon Royval faces young British talent Lone’er Kavanagh.
This could be fight of the night.
King Green vs Terrance McKinney
02:32 , Alex Pattle
Round one
McKinney gets to work on a rear naked choke, but Green defends well and survives, then manages to escape and stand, late in the round!
Oh! He hurts McKinney! McKinney drops to his knees, covers up, and makes it to the buzzer...
OR DOES HE?! NO! THE REF WAVES IT OFF AFTER THE BUZZER.
King Green vs Terrance McKinney
02:29 , Alex Pattle
Round one
McKinney backs up Green immediately and lands a couple of good straights. There’s a scramble as Green tries to snatch a standing guillotine, to no avail.
Both men are throwing in twos and threes, but McKinney looks more accurate, and Green’s face is already bloodied.
Good uppercut by McKinney! His hooks are soooo wide, although he’s landing enough shots overall that he won’t mind – but will he tire?
Body shot now on Green, then a one-two up top. Green stabs a couple of front kicks to the body. And more. Side kicks to try to get McKinney off of him.
Green paws at the blood on his face. McKinney takes him down by the cage and locks up the legs! He’s in mount, pouring on punches.
King Green vs Terrance McKinney
02:15 , Alex Pattle
A bit of needle between these guys; Green said he and McKinney were friendly and had chatted about not fighting each other, and that McKinney then accepted the fight – which didn’t sit well with Green.
UFC 329 main card begins!
02:06 , Alex Pattle
And now, onto the main card...
Conor McGregor vs Max Holloway 2 (welterweight)
Paddy Pimblett vs Benoit Saint-Denis (lightweight)
Cory Sandhagen vs Mario Bautista (bantamweight)
Brandon Royval vs Lone’er Kavanagh (flyweight)
King Green vs Terrance McKinney (lightweight)
UFC 329 prelim results in full
02:02 , Alex Pattle
Robert Whittaker def. Nikita Krylov via third-round TKO (1:01, right cross)
Gable Steveson def. Elisha Ellison via first-round KO (strikes, 2:31)
Adrian Yanez def. Cody Garbrandt via first-round TKO (strikes, 2:47)
Luke Riley def. Kai Kamaka III via first-round TKO (strikes, 3:03)
Early prelims
Wang Cong def. Tracy Cortez via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27)
Damian Pinas def Cesar Almeida via first-round KO (right cross, 4:44)
Farid Basharat def. John Garza via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Ryan Gandra def. Zach Reese via first-round TKO (strikes, 1:15)
Alessandro Costa def. Cody Durden via second-round submission (rear naked choke, 2:19)
Whittaker with jaw-shattering win?
01:57 , Alex Pattle
Krylov was testing out his jaw after that right overhand landed, opening and closing it, before giving Whittaker a thumbs-up as if to say: “Yep, fair enough, you got me.”
Whittaker with a KO victory on his 205lb debut
01:53 , Alex Pattle
Round three
Krylov with a front kick but he’s caught with a cross at the same time.
Oh! Whittaker with a hard right hand, and Krylov visibly wobbles!!
Now Krylov is holding his jaw and waving as if to say “stop”.
The ref calls it off! Whittaker with a debut win at 205lb!
I wonder if he broke Krylov’s jaw...
Whittaker vs Krylov
01:50 , Alex Pattle
Round two
Krylov’s face is bloodied up. He shoots for a takedown and Whittaker sprawls, but it’s such an exaggerated movement that he’s almost caught in a follow-up scramble.
Oh! Back on the feet and he snaps back Krylov’s head with a pair of straight shots – the crowd likes that!
Krylov almost lands a left hook, and he keeps edging forward. Whittaker is trying to deter him with those trademark feints. Whittaker is also throwing on the counter a fair bit, to intercept Krylov.
Another tidy combo from Whittaker, and then a slick slip to avoid a front kick.
That’s a Whittaker round, after a close first frame.
Whittaker vs Krylov
01:46 , Alex Pattle
Round two
Deep breaths from Whittaker between rounds. He was controlled for a segment of that round, but did he do the greater damage to snatch it? It was a close one.
Whittaker with a Matrix-like dodge to avoid a head kick, and he’s continuing to get the better of the striking exchanges.
That said, he’s moving backwards a lot, and he’s still huffing and puffing.
Decent lead left hook by the Aussie. Now he sticks Krylov with some slick jabs.
Whittaker vs Krylov
01:43 , Alex Pattle
Round one
Whittaker is on a knee against the fence, trying to fend off Krylov – which he does, eventually, standing and escaping.
Can Whittaker keep the fight to striking exchanges for a while? He’ll certainly want to.
Clean right cross! This is definitely his realm. He eats a body kick, though.
Oh! One-two over the top. And again!
Krylov fires back with a low kick, but he’s still struggling with Whittaker’s hand speed.
Whittaker lands a head kick on the buzzer.
Whittaker vs Krylov
01:40 , Alex Pattle
Round one
Krylov leaps forward early, trying to grab ahold of Whittaker. It’s no secret that Krylov’s preference is to grapple.
Whittaker is kind of forced to duck his head and wing hooks to try to get Krylov off him, but Krylov has the clinch against the fence.
Whittaker stays calm and slops out to the side, blocks a head kick and is tasked with defending another takedown attempt. Frantic start.
Krylov is working on a single-leg, but Whittaker escapes... only to crash to the mat in a frenzied scramble. Krylov tries a face crank to no avail.
One more prelim fight to go
01:23 , Alex Pattle
The final prelim sees ex-middleweight champ Robert Whittaker make his light-heavyweight debut, against established 205lb’er Nikita Krylov!
Intrigued to see how Whittaker fares here.
Steveson stops Ellison!
01:14 , Alex Pattle
We’re back under way, and that break might have helped Steveson; he almost started too fast and was at risk of gassing himself out.
Indeed, it might’ve helped – Steveson seems to have Ellison hurt against the fence!
Ellison weathers the storm for now, but he’s not liking these body kicks.
OH! And as Steveson switches to left and right hands upstairs, Ellison finally goes down – and out!
It was a right cross that marked the beginning of the end, with Steveson in a square stance in front of Ellison, rather than his clear southpaw stance from the start of the fight.
Steveson vs Ellison
01:12 , Alex Pattle
Round one
Steveson stands southpaw, Ellison orthodox. Steveson slips early on while throwing a high kick.
He bounces back up and gets after Ellison with lead hook attempts. Ellison with check hook attempts.
Steveson, as expected, shoots for a takedown but Ellison defends with a guillotine effort...
Steveson slips out and tags Ellison hard with a left straight. Now some knees to the body in the clinch, but he kicks Ellison in the cup and the action is paused.
Riley on right end of KO win, Garbrandt on wrong end
01:03 , Alex Pattle
Highly-anticipated debut next
Sunday 12 July 2026 00:57 , Alex Pattle
Next, 26-year-old American Gable Steveson makes his highly-anticipated UFC debut.
The former Olympic gold-medalist wrestler faces Elisha Ellison, as the pair clash at heavyweight.
UFC icon Jon Jones will be in Steveson’s corner.
Garbrandt KOed in round one!
Sunday 12 July 2026 00:47 , Alex Pattle
Round one
Garbrandt gets right after Yanez, swarming him with punches! They’re not all landing, with Yanez rolling under a lot of them, but the visuals favour Garbrandt, especially with his opponent trapped against the fence.
Now Yanez skips into space and tries to take the centre of the cage. Both men are loading up a lot.
OH! A right hook has Garbrandt out on his feet!!
He staggers to the mat and a few more shots from Yanez force the ref to step in!
Ex-champ Cody Garbrandt in action
Sunday 12 July 2026 00:44 , Alex Pattle
Former bantamweight champion Garbrandt faces Adrian Yanez next – both men are in the ring!
McGregor ring-walk time tonight
Sunday 12 July 2026 00:40 , Alex Pattle
We’re expecting around 3.30am or 4am BST tonight for the main-event ring walks!
Speaking of Pimblett...
Sunday 12 July 2026 00:32 , Alex Pattle
Our own Will Castle interviewed Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett, who fights Benoit Saint-Denis in tonight’s co-main event.
The Liverpudlian star told Will about the “hate watches” fueling his bid to redeem himself after January’s loss to Justin Gaethje.
One was Arsenal’s Champions League final loss to PSG; another was his rival Ilia Topuria’s own loss to Gaethje in June.
Paddy Pimblett and the ‘hate watches’ that fuel his UFC redemption story
Pimblett teammate Riley scores statement KO
Sunday 12 July 2026 00:29 , Alex Pattle
3-0 for Riley in the UFC, including his November debut – two KOs and one decision.
Luke Riley vs Kai Kamaka III
Sunday 12 July 2026 00:20 , Alex Pattle
Round one
Under way! We begin with Paddy Pimblett’s teammate Luke Riley in action.
He eats a clean right cross early on, but his chin holds up. “We don’t get knocked out,” Pimblett once said of Scousers...
Riley with a jab and a pawing lead left hook, which doesn’t quite land. The featherweights are feinting in front of each other at close range.
Now a left hook that does land for Riley. Kamaka with a calf kick. He switches stances to southpaw then back.
OH!! Riley drops him with a straight right! He tries for ground and pound but Kamaka slithers free, back to his feet...
But Riley forces the stoppage with a slew of punches and knees against the fence! It’s all over!
Why hasn’t McGregor fought in five years? Rape case, missed drug tests and broken leg
Sunday 12 July 2026 00:15 , Alex Pattle
Everything you need to know about the various controversies surrounding McGregor in the five years since he fought:
Why hasn’t Conor McGregor fought in five years? Rape case and drug tests explained
UFC 329 CARD
Sunday 12 July 2026 00:11 , Alex Pattle
Here’s what the regular prelims and main card look like, from first fight to last:
Prelims
Luke Riley vs Kai Kamaka III (featherweight)
Cody Garbrandt vs Adrian Yanez (bantamweight)
Gable Steveson vs Elisha Ellison (heavyweight)
Robert Whittaker vs Nikita Krylov (light-heavyweight)
Main card
King Green vs Terrance McKinney (lightweight)
Brandon Royval vs Lone’er Kavanagh (flyweight)
Cory Sandhagen vs Mario Bautista (bantamweight)
Paddy Pimblett vs Benoit Saint-Denis (lightweight)
Conor McGregor vs Max Holloway 2 (welterweight)
UFC 329 PRELIMS BEGIN
Sunday 12 July 2026 00:07 , Alex Pattle
Hello everyone, if you’re just joining us now, then you’re joining us in time for the regular prelims!
Here’s how the early prelims played out:
Wang Cong def. Tracy Cortez via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27)
Damian Pinas def Cesar Almeida via first-round KO (right cross, 4:44)
Farid Basharat def. John Garza via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Ryan Gandra def. Zach Reese via first-round TKO (strikes, 1:15)
Alessandro Costa def. Cody Durden via second-round submission (rear naked choke, 2:19)
Conor McGregor and Max Holloway face off in ceremonial UFC weigh-ins
Sunday 12 July 2026 00:05 , Jack Rathborn
Holloway's final message to McGregor
Saturday 11 July 2026 23:55 , Jack Rathborn
Max Holloway had one final message to Conor McGregor after their intense final UFC 329 face-off.
“If this guy’s a missile, I’m a f***ing nuke,” he said.
Conor McGregor: 'The Mac is bringing it!'
Saturday 11 July 2026 23:45 , Jack Rathborn
“It’s great to be back,” McGregor said before tonight’s return.
“Thank you to all the fans here in attendance, I hope you’re all ready for a blockbuster event tomorrow night. ‘The Mac’ is bringing it!”
Paddy Pimblett tips Conor McGregor to win on one condition
Saturday 11 July 2026 23:35 , Jack Rathborn
Paddy Pimblett makes his McGregor v Holloway prediction: "If Conor wins, it'll have to be in the first two rounds, if it goes past that, Max will take over."
What weight will McGregor and Holloway fight at?
Saturday 11 July 2026 23:25 , Jack Rathborn
McGregor and Holloway will clash at welterweight, despite both men having fought most of their careers at lighter weights.
McGregor won the featherweight title in 2015 before famously becoming the UFC’s first-ever dual-weight champion by adding the lightweight belt in 2016.
And Holloway is a former featherweight champion, although he has fought at lightweight four times, including in a March loss to Charles Oliveira.
Regardless, he and McGregor will meet at welterweight, where Holloway has never fought before, while McGregor has competed their three times.
McGregor traded wins with Nate Diaz at 170lb in 2016, before stopping Donald Cerrone in 40 seconds in 2020.
Jose Aldo gives his prediction for Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway 2
Saturday 11 July 2026 23:15 , Jack Rathborn
“They both have tremendous qualities,” Aldo said in a conversation with Covers. “I didn’t really get to fight Conor for very long. I had two opportunities to fight Max. The first one ended with a TKO in the fourth round. My fight with Conor ended in the first round, so it was over very quickly. I didn’t really get to feel his full skill set, but he’s obviously an extremely talented fighter.
“I can speak more confidently about Max’s style. He’s a very intelligent fighter with excellent boxing and a great understanding of boxing. He also has a tremendous ability to read shots and absorb them. Of course, nowadays, after taking so much damage throughout his career, he’s not quite the same as he was back when I fought him. He was in his prime, you could hit him all day and he’d still be there.”
The candid McGregor admission that shows time is running out
Saturday 11 July 2026 23:05 , Jack Rathborn
Conor McGregor is back in the UFC, but for how long? See, win or lose against Max Holloway this weekend, the Irishman may have a problem.
Comment:
The candid Conor McGregor admission that shows time is running out on UFC career
Rewind: McGregor v Holloway 1 (2013)
Saturday 11 July 2026 22:55 , Jack Rathborn
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