Conor McGregor announces fifth career surgery following UFC 329 injury

Conor McGregor announced on Instagram that he will undergo his fifth career surgery following injuries sustained at UFC 329. The former two-division UFC champion suffered ACL and meniscus damage to his knee in a rematch against Max Holloway, injuring it on the very first kick he attempted. McGregor struggled to plant his feet and repeatedly fell during the bout before the referee stopped the fight at 69 seconds.

The injury marks a significant setback in McGregor's comeback timeline. Remarkably, he suffered identical ACL and meniscus injuries to his opposite knee during his first fight with Holloway in 2013—a bout he won by decision—and required nearly a year to recover from that injury. McGregor's injury history also includes a notorious leg break suffered in his trilogy fight against Dustin Poirier, which sidelined him for nearly five years.

Despite the setback, McGregor posted a message on social media expressing optimism about the upcoming procedure, writing, "Well folks, here we go again! Surgery number 5 of my career coming up! All things considered that is an ok number! Let's do it, WE GOT THIS!" The Irishman still has one fight remaining on his current UFC contract and previously targeted a return for summer 2027, with International Fight Week as his goal. The timeline for that comeback will now depend on his surgical recovery and rehabilitation.