UFC 329 delivered everything fans could have hoped for until it didn’t. Following an electrifying preliminary card that featured seven finishes inside the distance, the pay-per-view main card continued the trend with explosive action, including two first-round stoppages and two entertaining battles.
But the night’s highly anticipated main event between Conor McGregor and Max Holloway ended in heartbreaking fashion after just over a minute when McGregor suffered a serious knee injury. The shocking conclusion left the sold-out arena stunned, bringing an abrupt end to one of the UFC’s biggest events of the year.
Holloway defeats McGregor after freak injury: Max Holloway def. Conor McGregor via TKO (knee injury), Round 1 – 1:09. The long-awaited rematch between Max Holloway and Conor McGregor came to an unfortunate and anticlimactic conclusion almost as soon as it began.
McGregor, making his long-awaited return to the Octagon, attempted to make an immediate statement by launching a spectacular jumping scissor kick just seconds into the contest. However, disaster struck upon landing.
The Irish superstar’s knee visibly buckled, prompting an instant reaction from “The Notorious,” who immediately realized something was wrong.
Despite the apparent injury, McGregor bravely tried to continue. He slipped to the canvas twice while struggling to put weight on the injured leg, with Holloway noticeably asking referee Mike Beltran if his opponent was able to continue.
Beltran allowed the fight to proceed. When the fighters returned to their feet, Holloway landed a single kick to the compromised leg. McGregor took an awkward, uncertain step backward before the referee quickly stepped in, officially ending the bout at just 1:09 of the opening round.
It wasn’t the revenge Holloway envisioned after losing to McGregor earlier in their careers, but it still goes into the record books as a victory for the former featherweight champion.
The unfortunate ending immediately sparked questions about McGregor’s future, while Holloway’s attention now turns toward the lightweight title picture.
With Justin Gaethje recently capturing the UFC lightweight championship, a championship rematch between Holloway and Gaethje now appears to be one of the division’s most compelling possibilities, though UFC President Dana White traditionally avoids announcing future matchups immediately following events.
Paddy Pimblett def. Benoît Saint Denis via technical submission (D’Arce choke), Round 1 – 0:52
Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett needed less than a minute to make perhaps the biggest statement of his UFC career.
Facing dangerous French contender Benoît Saint Denis in the co-main event, Pimblett showcased elite grappling instincts from the opening exchange.
Saint Denis wasted no time shooting for a takedown, but Pimblett immediately threatened with a guillotine choke before smoothly transitioning to a tight D’Arce choke as the scramble unfolded.
Rolling through flawlessly, Pimblett secured the submission, putting “God of War” to sleep just 52 seconds into the first round.
The spectacular finish instantly elevated Pimblett’s stock in one of the UFC’s deepest and most competitive divisions.
Already considered one of the sport’s biggest personalities, the Liverpool native now possesses the résumé to match the hype.
The victory firmly establishes Pimblett as a legitimate Top 5 lightweight contender and positions him for a massive fight in the second half of the year—potentially against another elite contender or even a title eliminator.
While the ending of UFC 329 left fans wanting more, the event still produced memorable moments throughout the evening.
After an action-packed preliminary card filled with seven finishes, the main card continued the excitement with fast-paced finishes, high-level grappling, and entertaining striking exchanges before the unfortunate injury overshadowed the night’s finale.
For Holloway, the victory keeps him among the UFC’s elite and potentially sets up another blockbuster fight at lightweight.
For Pimblett, UFC 329 may ultimately be remembered as the night he transformed from rising star into legitimate championship contender.
Unfortunately for McGregor, his highly anticipated return ended not with the dramatic comeback fans envisioned, but with another difficult chapter in one of mixed martial arts’ most celebrated careers. Whether “The Notorious” can once again recover and return to the Octagon remains one of the biggest questions facing the UFC moving forward.
