McGregor says comeback starts now after knee surgery
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- Conor McGregor, 38, underwent surgery on the knee injured at UFC 329, posting on Instagram: 'Surgery done. Knee repaired... Comeback season starts now. No shortcuts. No excuses. Just the will to rise again.'
- Max Holloway was declared the winner by technical knockout after 69 seconds, when McGregor's knee gave way on his first attempted roundhouse kick
- The UFC 329 fight was McGregor's first octagon appearance since he broke his leg in a 2021 defeat to Dustin Poirier
- McGregor cited Dominick Cruz, Georges St-Pierre and seven-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady as comeback inspiration, saying his 'mindset is unstoppable, unbreakable'
- Nikita Hand won her civil claim against McGregor for damages for assault by rape in November 2024
- McGregor accepted an 18-month ban for violating the UFC's anti-doping policy after missing three drugs tests in 2024; the ban, backdated to September 2024, ended in March
Why it matters: McGregor's latest comeback lasted less than two minutes before another major injury, casting doubt on whether the 38-year-old can still compete at the top level. With his return already shadowed by the November 2024 civil rape verdict and a recently concluded 18-month doping ban, his next fight will arrive under unusually heavy reputational weight.
