Conor McGregor’s long-awaited return to the Octagon ended in heartbreak as a devastating knee injury brought the UFC 329 main event to an abrupt end. Despite months of anticipation and pre-fight hype, the former two-division champion’s comeback lasted just 69 seconds before disaster struck, handing Max Holloway a TKO victory in one of the most anti-climactic finishes in recent UFC history.
McGregor came out aggressively, opening the fight with a jumping roundhouse kick. However, slow-motion replays showed him landing awkwardly on his right leg before his knee buckled beneath him. Although visibly compromised, the Irishman attempted to continue fighting. Holloway immediately recognized something was wrong and capitalized, swarming McGregor with heavy ground-and-pound during two separate scrambles.
The former double champion made one final effort to stand but was unable to put any weight on his injured leg. With McGregor no longer able to intelligently defend himself, referee Mike Beltran stepped in and waved off the contest just 1:09 into the opening round. While it was a nightmare ending for McGregor, Paddy Pimblett had made a statement of his own just minutes earlier in the co-main event.
With the main event ending in only 69 seconds, the Englishman had barely made it backstage after submitting Benoit Saint-Denis before learning that McGregor’s comeback had already come to an end. True to his personality, Pimblett’s first reaction was priceless. He said, “Oh my god, McGregor’s done already? He’s finished; the new boy is in town. I can become the face of the organization now.”
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Pimblett is already one of the UFC’s biggest stars, and outside of McGregor, “The Baddy” arguably received the loudest reactions throughout fight week, a point he even acknowledged during the UFC 329 pre-fight press conference. After submitting Saint-Denis in just 52 seconds with a slick D’arce choke, his stock has never been higher, and many believe he has all the ingredients to become the promotion’s next crossover star.
However, his tone changed later in the evening. Speaking to TNT Sports backstage, Pimblett admitted he was stunned by how McGregor’s return unfolded and questioned whether the former champion would ever compete again. He said, “I said I was literally doing an interview and looked up and was like ‘Oh my god! It’s over. Could not believe it.”
He added, “You know, sad for the sport because McGregor is one of the biggest names the sport’s ever seen. And for him to go out like that, it’s not good. Like, I would have loved to fought him, but it doesn’t look like he is ever going to be able to fight again.”
During the UFC 329 post-fight press conference, Pimblett again expressed sympathy for McGregor and reflected on how cruel the sport can be after such a long layoff. He said, “It was sad to see. But that’s the thing about this sport: you have to stay consistent and got to keep fighting. With him not fighting for so long, his body couldn’t keep up with it.”
Pimblett added, “Him coming out and throwing that crazy kick and his knee busting, I feel bad for him. He’s put so much into coming back to get back in the Octagon, and that happens in the first five seconds, you gotta feel for him.”
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It was a devastating end for McGregor, who spent years preparing for his comeback only for it to unravel almost instantly. At 38 years old and with another serious injury behind him, questions will inevitably be asked about whether this was the final chapter of his legendary career. For Pimblett, however, UFC 329 could prove to be a career-defining night. He delivered the biggest win of his career in emphatic fashion, and with McGregor’s comeback ending in heartbreak, “The Baddy” may have just stepped into the spotlight the Irish superstar once dominated.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.
