Conor McGregor booed after horror injury ends | Boxing News

Conor McGregor‘s extremely anticipated return to the Octagon ended in absolute catastrophe with his UFC comeback lasting just 69 seconds. The ‘Notorious’ suffered a devastating knee injury to cut his main event combat against Max Holloway so short that it prompted boos from the pissed off crowd. Making his first look since back-to-back losses to Dustin Poirier in 2021 – the second of which famously ended with a damaged left leg – McGregor hoped to write a new chapter in his profession.

Instead, historical past repeated itself in a merciless twist of destiny as he ended another combat with a severe leg injury. Seconds into the opening spherical, the Irishman threw a flying left roundhouse kick and immediately blew out his knee on his planted proper leg. After trying to kick and strike Holloway (28-9-0) two more occasions, it was clear McGregor (22-7-0) was unable to end the scheduled five-round welterweight bout. The referee was compelled to wave off the bout after just one minute and 9 seconds. Despite Max Holloway’s best efforts to urge the Las Vegas crowd to show some respect for the previous dual-weight champion, a disillusioned area closely booed McGregor as he walked out.

McGregor, 37, had been satisfied he’d beat Holloway in their welterweight bout at UFC 329 at the T-Mobile Arena. This was their second combat after the Irishman earned a unanimous choice over Holloway in a featherweight conflict in 2013. “Weight’s on point, body’s on point, mind’s sharper than ever, plan is laid set, and I’m ready to go to war,” he had said. “I plan to contort Max’s body into such uncomfortable positions and have my way with him.”

Yet McGregor’s plans had been unravelled virtually immediately by his injury. As McGregor charged in direction of the center of the Octagon with his legendary entrance music reverberating around the venue, many sensed one thing particular was brewing following Paddy ‘the Baddy’ Pimblett’s gorgeous victory over Benoit Saint-Denis in the co-main event. Yet just as he climbed the steps to the cage, there appeared to be an issue with the Irishman’s proper facet, as he was seen wincing before executing the ‘billi strut’.

Holloway, unruffled by the magnitude of the event, remained targeted throughout. Yet the competition was introduced to an abrupt end when McGregor charged to the centre of the Octagon and immediately launched an ineffective spinning kick, touchdown somewhat awkwardly on his proper leg – which proved to be the start of the end for the ex-two-division world champion.

After that, 37-year-old stumbled down to the canvas on a number of events – with Holloway seemingly reluctant to have interaction on the ground, urging the referee to deliver the ‘Notorious’ back to his ft. When McGregor finally rose, one thing appeared severely incorrect as he hobbled back into his stance before a swift shake of the pinnacle prompted the referee to step in and halt a deeply disappointing contest – which only lasted just over 60 seconds.

Holloway said: “Hey guys let’s give it up for Conor McGregor guys. What an absolute animal. When we were in here, he kept trying to fight on. I was trying to call the fight. You guys are lucky because there’s going to be a Holloway vs McGregor 3 now! Let’s get this f*****g money boys.”

Those feedback had been loudly booed before ‘Blessed’ continued: “What can I say? I had him weak in the knees I guess. It is what it is. I’m going to sit down with the UFC. So much hype for that right, damn. We’ve got to run it back one more time. One more time for the boys. We need one more. I worked my a** off to fight this guy, for it to end like this, it sucks.”

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Elsewhere on the main card, British fighter Lone’er Kavanagh noticed his flyweight title aspirations dealt a important blow when he was submitted by Brandon Royval in an enthralling bout. Kavanagh misplaced the first spherical but got here storming back in the second, only for Royval to take his back in the third and in the end pressure Kavanagh to faucet out to a rear-naked choke.

Earlier in the night, Pimblett’s team-mate Luken Riley prolonged his unbeaten document to 14-0 with an spectacular first-round stoppage victory over Kai Kamaka III. A crisp proper hand despatched Kamaka crashing to the mat and, although he managed to clamber back up, the referee intervened following another ferocious flurry of punches from the Englishman.

King Green opened the main card with a buzzer-beating first-round stoppage of Terrance McKinney, who had dominated the opening session. Green dropped his rival with seconds remaining and the combat was waved off after a last barrage.

Pimblett needed only 52 seconds to put Saint-Denis to sleep with a D’arce choke. The excited, and sweary, scouser said after: “Sub of the year b*****s! Know what I mean? I knew he was out. I had to say to the ref ‘he’s conscious lad, he’s out’ and he had to check him. I told everyone all week, try to grab my legs and I will choke his a*** unconscious. My man was face down eating canvas.

“I’m like a f*****g spider. When I’ve bought maintain of you, you do not f*****g get out. It’s as simple as that. I’d said I used to be going to do it. Everyone counted me out. Everyone said I used to be completed because I bought beat by [Justin] Gaethje but what now? Am I completed? Who needs it next?

“I’ll f*****g beat Ilia [Topuria] up, I’ll f*****g rematch Justin, I’ll fight Conor [McGregor] or Max [Holloway] next. I don’t give a f***. Give me anyone and I’ll punch their f*****g head in.”