Dana White has confirmed that Conor McGregor is unlikely to return to the UFC until July, after the former champion sustained a serious knee injury at UFC 329.
The Irishman tore his ACL and meniscus just seconds into his bout with Max Holloway in Las Vegas on 11 July, after throwing an early kick. McGregor, who turned 38 three days later, fell to the mat several times before shaking his head at the referee to signal he could not continue.
White dismissed suggestions that McGregor entered the bout with a pre-existing injury or sustained one during his ring walk. Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, the UFC president said McGregor was “out for a year”, despite footage of the former champion undertaking leg exercises.
McGregor has confirmed he will undergo surgery but remains optimistic about a swift return, citing advances in regenerative medicine. He referenced his recovery from a similar injury in 2013, when he returned to competition within nine months to face Diego Brandao.
The bout with Holloway was McGregor's first in five years, following a broken leg in a second consecutive loss to Dustin Poirier. It also came after a civil jury found him liable for sexual assault in a 2024 verdict; his appeal was unsuccessful.
In a social media update, McGregor said he was “walking without a crutch” and had completed leg extension machine work without issue, adding: “Your health is your wealth.”
