Max Holloway reacts to Conor McGregor's UFC 329 injury, eyes Islam Makhachev

Max Holloway defeated Conor McGregor in the UFC 329 main event, but his celebration was muted after McGregor suffered a serious injury in the opening moments. The fight lasted just over a minute before the referee stopped the action as McGregor, returning to the Octagon for the first time in over five years, struggled to remain upright following what appeared to be an ACL injury sustained early in the bout.

Despite the anticlimactic finish, Holloway displayed sportsmanship in victory. "As a human, I really hope he's all good, man. Hope that recovery will come well," the former UFC featherweight champion said. Holloway initially called for a McGregor trilogy bout but acknowledged the Irish legend would need significant recovery time.

With McGregor sidelined, Holloway shifted his focus to his next challenge. The Hawaiian fighter, who had been competing at welterweight, set his sights on a title opportunity against UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev. "If I beat Islam, in Justin Gaethje's words, I'm the 155 champ," Holloway said at the post-fight press conference. The statement underscored his ambition to pursue title gold despite the weight class transition, and positioned a potential Makhachev showdown as the natural next step in his career trajectory.