Conor McGregor says he tore the ACL and meniscus in his right knee during his 69-second defeat to Max Holloway at UFC 329.
The former two-division UFC champion provided the diagnosis in a post on X on Sunday. McGregor described it as the same combination of injuries he suffered during his first fight with Holloway, only in the opposite knee.
Update: It was ACL and meniscus. It is the same injury as the first Holloway fight, only this time the opposite leg. Quite shocking.
McGregor claimed he can already walk without a crutch and has used a leg-extension machine without difficulty. He also said he could activate his quadriceps under resistance, describing those developments as “all very positive.”
The 38-year-old cited advances in regenerative medicine and training methods while estimating that he could return by summer 2027.
That timeline is McGregor’s own assessment, and no independent medical prognosis has been made public.
McGregor previously said he would undergo surgery. UFC CEO Dana White has declined to discuss another fight until McGregor completes the procedure, rehabilitation and physical therapy.
His first fight in more than five years ended when his right knee buckled after an attempted jumping switch kick. Holloway was awarded the TKO victory 1:09 into the opening round.
McGregor defeated Holloway by unanimous decision in their first meeting on August 17, 2013, despite injuring his left knee during the second round. Reports at the time stated that an MRI revealed a complete ACL tear, an MCL strain and a posterior horn meniscus tear.
He wrote on Sunday that he returned to competition “within nine months” to face Diego Brandão. However, the Brandão fight took place on July 19, 2014, more than 11 months after the first Holloway encounter.
