Islam Makhachev reacts to Conor McGregor blowing out his knee at UFC 329: ‘I feel bad’

Islam Makhachev expressed sympathy for Conor McGregor's devastating injury at UFC 329, despite the well-documented rivalry between their camps. McGregor's long-awaited return—his first fight in five years following a broken leg—came to a cruel end just 69 seconds into the opening round when he landed awkwardly on a jumping roundhouse kick, tearing his ACL.

Makhachev told Complex Sports that while he believed Max Holloway would have defeated McGregor, he hadn't anticipated the injury would end the fight so abruptly. "I wanted to see how he fights after the five years [off] and honestly, I felt bad when this happened," Makhachev said, adding that he expected a more competitive contest than what unfolded.

The injury prompted McGregor to undergo ACL surgery, and he has since revealed plans to target International Fight Week 2027 for his next comeback. McGregor has also indicated that his next fight will be his final bout on his current UFC contract, potentially opening the door to free agency and fights outside the promotion.

Makhachev and McGregor's camps have harbored animosity dating back to McGregor's infamous 2018 rivalry with Khabib Nurmagomedov. That feud featured one of the nastiest fight buildups in UFC history, culminating in Nurmagomedov's victory and a post-fight cage jump that saw him attack one of McGregor's coaches.

Meanwhile, Makhachev is preparing for his first title defense at 170 pounds, headlining UFC 330 in Philadelphia against fellow Irishman Ian Machado Garry.