Conor McGregor insists he 'will return' despite first-round injury as Max Holloway calls for trilogy at UFC 329 in Las Vegas

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Conor McGregor confirmed that he would return to the Octagon after his bout with Max Holloway at UFC 329 ended in just 69 seconds following an injury the Irishman claimed "came out of nowhere".

'We've got to run it back' - Holloway calls for McGregor trilogy

Video credit: TNT Sports

Holloway also teased that "there's going to be" a third fight with McGregor after coming out on top in Las Vegas.

A knee injury to McGregor - diagnosed by Dana White as a "blown ACL" - handed the win to Holloway and left even more questions over the Irishman’s future in the sport.

McGregor insisted he had no injuries going into the fight, but he was seen limping in the walkout and slipped twice in the opening seconds attempting ambitious head kicks, taking a volley of blows to the head while on the canvas.

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He then stumbled again as he looked to punch Holloway, with the American appealing to referee Mike Beltran to stop the fight due to his opponent’s injury.

Yet the fight continued for another few seconds of punishment on the mat for McGregor, until he got back to his feet, then pulled up holding his knee, causing Beltran to finally end the bout.

McGregor denied that he looked off before the fight, insisting that he would be back again.

"I was so sharp and so ready for this fight I cannot believe what has happened," he posted on X.

"The talk of me being off while walking in to the fight is nonsense.

"I was calm, ready, and confident.

"I am in shock what has taken place.

"The devil is literally staring at me right in front of my face here. I am not engaging. I will be at church tomorrow.

"I will overcome this.

"I will not be deterred.

"I will return."

In an earlier post, McGregor described the injury as "hell".

"My head gasket is gone," he wrote.

"Destroyed. I had no injury / injuries going into the fight. I was throwing kicks, planted and jumping, all throughout camp as well as backstage before the fight. This came out of nowhere. I am beyond dark here. I can only describe it as hell."

Meanwhile Holloway was greeted by boos from a disappointed crowd in Nevada when he paid tribute to McGregor, and they intensified when he called for a third fight against the 37-year-old to "get this money".

It was revenge 13 years in the making for 'The Blessed' Holloway after the first fight between the pair at UFC 164, which McGregor won by unanimous decision.

Back then, the pair were on the preliminary card of Mauricio Rua versus Chael Sonnen and neither would get a shot at the championship belt for another two years, when McGregor defeated Chad Mendes.

However, those kinds of nights will feel further away than ever for McGregor following his knee injury, despite Holloway’s attempts to pick him up after the Irishman’s third consecutive defeat.

"Let's give it up for Conor McGregor. What an absolute animal. I was trying to call this fight, and kept trying to fight on,” Holloway said.

"But guys are lucky, because there's going to be a Holloway versus McGregor 3 now! Let's get this f****** money, boys!

"What can I say? I had him weak in the knees, I guess. It is what it is. I'm going to sit down with the UFC. So much hype for that, right? Damn. We got to run it back one more time. We need one more.

"I was looking forward to it. I worked my a** off to get to 170 to fight this guy. It sucks. At least I get to go back to the craps tables now, so see me there."

On McGregor’s injury, UFC boss White said: "We're assuming blown ACL. That's what I was thinking when I saw it, and doctors think the same thing too. We'll find out when he gets an MRI."

But while the Irishman awaits his diagnosis, Holloway can celebrate moving up to joint-third on the UFC all-time wins list. He overtakes Andrei Arlovski and Donald Cerrone and joins Neil Magny on 24 victories, four off record-holder Jim Miller.

Next up on the list for Holloway is Charles Oliveira, who had defeated Holloway in his last fight before UFC 329, though neither man has their next bout scheduled.

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