Conor McGregor posts footage of himself throwing kicks before UFC 329 main event

Conor McGregor's long-awaited return to the UFC ended catastrophically when he suffered an ACL injury on the very first kick he threw against Max Holloway at UFC 329. The Irish superstar now faces roughly a year on the sidelines for rehabilitation.

McGregor had just returned from a five-year hiatus, returning to face Holloway in a rematch billed as a showcase for his dominance. Instead, the injury forced a quick stoppage, bringing a premature and frustrating end to one of the final two fights remaining on his current UFC contract. The setback was compounded by speculation that he may have carried a pre-existing condition into the bout.

Addressing those claims, McGregor posted Instagram footage showing himself executing kicks moments before his entrance at UFC 329, suggesting he was healthy at fight time. His post, captioned "What was to be a generational beating is now to be reset," revealed his target return: International Fight Week 2027. UFC CEO Dana White confirmed the timeline during a recent Zuffa Boxing press conference, stating that McGregor will be sidelined for approximately one year.

Both McGregor and White have indicated that Holloway will likely be his comeback opponent, as the fight would serve as the penultimate bout of the Irishman's contract. Holloway himself called for a trilogy matchup during his post-fight interview. McGregor has been documenting his recovery on social media, recently sharing a video of leg workouts as he begins his rehabilitation journey.