Conor McGregor knee injury may not be as bad as feared, doctor says

Conor McGregor's knee injury suffered during his UFC 329 rematch with Max Holloway may not be as severe as initially feared, according to an assessment by Dr. Brian Sutterer. McGregor damaged his knee while throwing the opening strike of the bout and subsequently struggled to remain upright, falling repeatedly before the referee stopped the fight just over a minute in. Immediate speculation pointed to a torn ACL, with both UFC commentators and CEO Dana White voicing that concern at the post-fight press conference.

Sutterer, who has not personally examined McGregor, offered his analysis after watching a video the Irish fighter posted to address fans. The doctor noted several encouraging signs: McGregor was not wearing a knee brace, which suggests no high-grade collateral ligament damage (MCL or LCL), and his seating position and apparent comfort level indicated the injury may not be severe. "Range of motion being at least 90 degrees of flexion and looking relatively comfortable is good," Sutterer wrote on X, though he emphasized his observations tell nothing definitive about potential ACL or meniscus damage.

McGregor has since updated followers on Instagram, indicating that medical imaging results would soon provide clarity on the full extent of the injury. The former two-division champion vowed to focus on recovery and return to fighting when healthy, with one fight remaining on his current UFC contract. His measured social media presence has fueled optimism among fans hoping the damage is limited to a shorter recovery timeline than a major ACL tear would require.