Out of the thousands of fights in UFC history — and I’ve seen them all — I’m not sure if there has ever been a stranger one than the main event of UFC 329 between Conor McGregor and Max Holloway.
The sport’s biggest superstar, McGregor, returned after a five-year layoff to take on Holloway in a rematch that was 13 years in the making in the main event of UFC 329, the UFC’s annual International Fight Week event.
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It was one of the most highly anticipated fights of all time, leading to the UFC’s record live gate of over $26 million at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, as people traveled from all over the world to see the event.
It was a true spectacle for the ages, and a must-watch fight that no sports fan was going to miss watching.
But what an absolute stinker of a “fight” it was.
Related: UFC 329 predictions show why Conor McGregor is in serious trouble
Just 1:09 into the first round, McGregor’s injured knee caused a premature stoppage to the bout, handing Holloway the win via first-round TKO, and leaving all the fans in the arena feeling like they had been scammed out of watching a true fight.
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We’ve seen injuries end fights before in the UFC. After all, when two human beings are throwing their bones at each other with violent intentions, injuries are going to happen.
But for a fight of this magnitude, it was just shocking to see it end like this, especially since McGregor — a fighter known for his boxing skills — threw a crazy kick right as soon as the bell rang to start the fight, leading to his downfall.
We don’t know yet what McGregor’s injury is, but UFC president Dana White believes it’s a torn ACL. Ironically, McGregor tore his ACL in his first fight against Holloway in 2013, but he was able to find a way to win that fight.
13 years later, it happened again, only this time, he lost the fight.
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Did McGregor know he was injured entering the bout? There’s been some talk of it. But there’s no firm, definitive proof that being the case. Either way, he’s definitely injured, and he will be out for a while.
Immediately after the bout, Holloway called for a trilogy bout against McGregor, but we do not know if that will happen yet, as White wouldn’t commit to it. After all, McGregor will likely be out at least a year if he did indeed tear his ACL, and given he turns 38 years old on July 14, it’s no sure thing that he attempts another comeback.
In the end, the fans were the losers, because they spent thousands of dollars on tickets to see a fight, and they didn’t get to see what they paid for.
Thankfully, the rest of the UFC 329 card was excellent. But let’s face it: people were there to see McGregor fight, and they feel like they got scammed out of seeing it happen, and rightfully so.
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But that’s fight sports for you.
Conor McGregor lost to Max Holloway via first-round injury TKO at UFC 329.Ian Maule / Getty Images
Paddy Pimblett Had A Superstar-Making Performance
While McGregor vs. Holloway turned out to be a dud, the co-main event bout between Paddy Pimblett and Benoit Saint Denis was anything but.
Entering the contest, Pimblett was a slight underdog as he came into the fight following a beatdown loss to UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje earlier this year. Saint Denis, meanwhile, was a small favorite after having won his last four fights by stoppage.
But Pimblett had a superstar-making performance as he needed just 52 seconds to choke Saint Denis out cold with a vicious D’Arce choke.
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It was a huge win for Pimblett, who is now 7-1 overall in the UFC. With McGregor losing on the same card, it almost feels like Pimblett may have had the torch passed to him as the UFC’s next biggest star.
As for what’s next for Pimblett, we’ll see what the UFC does with him next, but there is no doubt he has earned a massive opportunity after beating Saint Denis in such a violent fashion.
Most likely, he’ll fight someone else in the top five next, and then if he wins that, he could be in line for a rematch with Gaethje for the belt.
Paddy Pimblett choked Benoit Saint Denis out cold on the UFC 329 undercard.Jeff Bottari / Getty Images
UFC 329 Undercard Takeaways
UFC 329 was a terrific card from bottom to top — excluding the main event, of course — and much of that has to do with the fantastic undercard, which saw many exciting finishes.
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In a flyweight bout that won Fight of the Night, veteran Brandon Royval gave young Lone’er Kavanagh a true “vet check” as he took it to the British prospect and finished him late in the third round with an arm-triangle choke to remain in the top-five flyweight rankings.
We also saw former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker earn a third-round TKO win over Nikita Krylov in what was a triumphant debut in the UFC light heavyweight division, a weight class the now-35-year-old Whittaker says he will stay at for the rest of his career.
Gable Steveson, the sport’s top heavyweight prospect, won his UFC debut when he finished Elisha Ellison in the first round by knockout in what was a winning first fight inside the Octagon.
Overall, there were 11 finishes at UFC 329, so it was just an excellent card on the whole, and one of the best UFC events of the year.
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It just stinks that the main event ended the way it did, because that’s what everyone is going to remember, and not all of the amazing performances before that.
Related: Conor McGregor Is Not the Only UFC 329 Story to Watch
This story was originally published by Lindys Sports on Jul 13, 2026, where it first appeared in the Other Sports section. Add Lindys Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
