Conor McGregor has dismissed claims that he entered his crushing defeat to Max Holloway carrying an injury, calling the speculation “nonsense” after the bout was stopped by the referee barely a minute after it began.
The Irish star appeared to suffer a serious knee problem while attempting a kick less than 10 seconds into the contest in Las Vegas, Nevada.
McGregor tried to continue for roughly another minute, but with the former UFC champion clearly struggling and in visible discomfort, the referee stepped in to end the fight.
Questions over his fitness had intensified after footage surfaced showing the 37-year-old, wrapped in an Irish flag, hopping after removing his trainers shortly before making his way into the fight.
However, in an emotional post shared on X on Tuesday morning, McGregor said the sudden injury was completely unexpected and denied he had been compromised before the opening bell.
Conor McGregor appeared to hurt his knee while attempting a high kick inside the opening seconds of his fight with Max Holloway
The Irish fighter posted on X after the defeat to deny rumours that he had been injured beforehand
He wrote: “My head gasket is gone. Destroyed. I had no injury / injuries going into the fight.”
‘I was throwing kicks, planted and jumping, all throughout camp as well as backstage before the fight. This came out of nowhere. I am beyond dark here. I can only describe it as hell.’
McGregor later added: ‘I was so sharp and so ready for this fight I cannot believe what has happened. 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.’
In what was his first fight in five years, McGregor had come out the traps flying and went straight for Holloway with a flying kick aimed at his upper-body.
But it was a slip on his standing foot which appeared to cause the Notorious’ injury, leaving him open to an attack from 34-year-old Holloway.
The American immediately pounced on McGregor on the floor, throwing a number of punches to his head before allowing the star back up to his feet.
It was a move which delighted the thousands of supporters watching on. However, just moments later, it became obvious that McGregor was struggling when his leg appeared to buckle underneath him – and the referee put a halt to proceedings within seconds.
It meant that McGregor’s much talked about return to the cage ironically ended almost identically to his last appearance against Dustin Poirier in July 2021 – with a horrific injury.
The Irishman left the octagon without speaking to reporters, leaving Holloway – who he beat in their first fight back in 2013 – to give his take on the contest.
The Irishman appeared distraught after the referee put a halt to proceedings
He said: ‘Let’s give it up for Conor! What an absolute animal. You guys are lucky because there is going to be a Holloway v McGregor three now. Let’s get that money.
‘It is what it is. I’ll sit down with the UFC. There was so much hype for that. We have to run it back one time. We need one more.
‘I was looking forward to this. I was working hard to get to 170 (lbs) and fight this guy. For it to end like this, it sucks.’
Whether McGregor has any intention of returning to the ring once more remains to be seen, after the defeat on the west coast marked his third on the bounce and extended his winless run to six years.
The star’s hiatus from the sport was marred by controversy after he was found liable for sexual assault and ordered to pay $260,000 in damages to Nikita Hind in late-2024.
McGregor opened up about the ordeal – and appeared emotional – in his pre-fight press conference on Friday.
He said: ‘I am an innocent man and I will stand for my innocence until the day I go out. That is still a situation where I fight. There’s a reason it didn’t go where it went, and it went to a civil trial. It is what it is.
‘It stings deep but I continue to fight. I know the truth. And I know that lying lips are an abomination to the Lord.
‘I know anything done in darkness will soon come to light, and I trust in God that it’s coming. You best believe it’s coming. I look very, very forward to the day.’
He added: ‘I don’t want to get into this terribly but it was a few tough years. It’s been a tough one but God works in mysterious ways. It is all as it should [be]. Maybe it wasn’t meant to be at that time.’
