Conor McGregor was brutally trolled by UFC rival Islam Makhachev after suffering a knee injury just seconds into his comeback fight against Max Holloway at UFC 329 on Saturday night in Las Vegas. The Irishman, a former two-division champion, ended a five-year hiatus but injured his right knee while throwing a spinning kick early in the first round. The referee waved off the contest after only 69 seconds.
Makhachev's Taunts and Social Media Reaction
Welterweight champion Makhachev, whom McGregor had targeted for a potential title shot, wasted no time mocking his rival. Featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski posted his live reaction to the fight's ending on social media, and Makhachev commented with a laughing emoji. He later posted his own message: “Conor beat Conor congrats Max.”
Many in the MMA community called for McGregor to retire after his third serious leg injury. The 37-year-old's last fight before Saturday was in 2021, when he broke his leg against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264. Despite the setback, McGregor vowed to return.
McGregor's Response and Coach's Defense
“I was so sharp and so ready for this fight I cannot believe what has happened,” McGregor wrote on social media. “The talk of me being off while walking in to the fight is nonsense. I was calm, ready, and confident. I am in shock what has taken place. The devil is literally staring at me right in front of my face here. I am not engaging. I will be at church tomorrow. I will overcome this. I will not be deterred. I will return.”
Coach John Kavanagh defended McGregor's decision to throw the kick. “That opening jump switch kick was drilled daily for months, multiple times in warm up. Never an issue. Knee went when he threw the very first kick. Doesn’t get any worse than this,” he wrote.
Holloway Open to Trilogy
Max Holloway, who lost to McGregor on points in 2013, expressed interest in a third fight. “After turning around so fast for this fight in March, it's been fast. But I'd love to see this Conor 170lb domain that he was talking about. This different world he was talking about. I want to see what his injury is first, but I then want to come back again in 2027,” Holloway said.
