UFC 329 recap - Conor McGregor's return to the Octagon ends in 69 seconds, Paddy Pimblett lights up arena with submission win

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UFC 329 live comments and PPV streaming details of Conor McGregor's long-awaited return to the Octagon to face Max Holloway. Their meeting, a rematch of their first fight back in 2013, which McGregor won, was cut short due to the Irishman's leg injury. In the co-main event, Paddy Pimblett was superb in submitting Benoit Saint-Denis early in the first round.

'He's crazy' - Holloway recalls events during McGregor fight that led to ref stoppage

Video credit: TNT Sports

Conor McGregor's return to the Octagon after five years lasted just over a minute, as he blew his right knee out versus Max Holloway on Saturday evening at UFC 329 in Las Vegas.

The Irishman landed awkwardly after a flying kick in the opening seconds, forcing an early defeat to Holloway, who immediately called for a third fight between the pair.

The highly-anticipated return to the sport after five years out could not have had a worse ending, with the crowd booing McGregor as he left the arena.

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Questions will be asked about McGregor's fitness to take part in the contest as replays suggested he was limping as he removed his footwear before entering the Octagon.

Although most attention will be around McGregor, the show was given value by Paddy 'The Baddy' Pimblett, whose fight went a similar distance but couldn't have been more different.

He brought all the crowd to their feet, including the celebrity fans close to the Octagon, with his trademark dancing and then took his opponent apart with less than a minute on the clock.

Benoit Saint-Denis, who felt very much the away fighter, came out fast looking for a head kick and then single-leg takedown.

Pimblett locked in a headlock and expertly manoeuvred his opponent until he was forced to submit to a D’Arce choke.

The two other Brits in action had varying fortunes. Lone’er Kavanagh lost little in a classic battle with Brandon Royval, being submitted in the final round in a war between two top-five rated flyweights.

Elsewhere, Luke Riley continued the unbeaten start to his career, stopping Kai Kameka in the first round for his 14th straight win.

Once more his body shots stood out, with a huge blow turning a cagey fight in his favour. Following up with rights and knee-lifts, the fight was soon over.

UFC 329 live comments recap

This live blog covered round-by-round action from Las Vegas. The main card of UFC 329: McGregor vs Holloway 2 was shown exclusively live on TNT Sports Box Office.

McGregor booed by fans on departure

Holloway calls for a rematch, 'let's make more money', which didn't go down that well with the fans who paid so much for a ticket in Las Vegas.

Holloway wins in a minute!

McGregor went to launch a flying kick straight away and blew his right knee out on landing.

Holloway was reluctant to attack him thereafter, though the referee instructed him to keep going until McGregor's leg buckled shortly afterwards, as he tried in vain to launch another attack.

Replays showed McGregor looking a little ginger before he entered the Octagon.

He still knows how to make an entrance

Holloway enters the Octagon first

Respected as he is, he gets a fairly muted reaction, with the crowd there to see the man he is fighting.

Even McGregor will struggle to outshine the Baddy

The main event is next

‘I see Conor knocking him out’ - Pimblett backs McGregor to upset Holloway at UFC 329

Video credit: TNT Sports

Pimblett submits Saint-Denis in a minute!

Saint-Denis came out with a fury but over-committed, going for a leg take down and played into Pimblett's hands. He locked in a guillotine and then turned his opponent and the pressure on the neck from the D'Arce choke forced the Frenchman to submit.

Huge Paddy the Baddy singalong

Not all the England sports fans are in Miami tonight. Pimblett dances his way to the Octagon.

Tyson in the arena

A man who was no stranger to comebacks himself.

Paddy the Baddy up next

Head-to-head: Saint-Denis v Pimblett "He's going to get caught with something"

Video credit: TNT Sports

How to watch UFC 329: McGregor vs Holloway 2 in the UK

The main card of UFC 329: McGregor vs Holloway 2 will be shown exclusively live on TNT Sports Box Office.

UFC 329: McGregor vs Holloway 2 costs £19.99 in the UK and can be watched via HBO Max, EE TV, Virgin Media TV, Prime Video and Sky. Details on how to purchase:

EE TV customers can purchase the event via their STB on channel 494.

Any HBO Max tier customer can purchase the event on hbomax.com. An HBO Max subscription to any plan is also required.

Prime Video customers do not need to have a Prime subscription to access this event. You can find live and upcoming PPV events in the "Live and upcoming events" row on the Prime Video homepage and sports page, or by searching for a specific event title.

Republic of Ireland viewers can purchase TNT Sports Box Office via Sky at https://www.sky.com/boxoffice/tnt-sports - €29.99.

Sky customers can purchase via the HBO Max app – Sky customers should check whether they already have HBO Max included at no extra cost in their subscription. For those without an HBO Max subscription, HBO Max starts from £4.99 for a month.

Virgin Media TV customers in the UK: customers with a TiVo and/or V6 set-top-box should visit the On-Demand section and choose Live Events; customers with a Virgin TV 360 and/or Stream set-top-box should go to the Pay Per View Events rail.

Bautista wins by unanimous decision!

No controversy here as all the judges give the bout to Bautista, evening up the ledger after Sandhagen beat him in his UFC opener.

Sandhagen-Bautista: Round 3

A left hook from Bautista made Sandhagen even more unsteady and the number-four ranked bantamweight had to eat a number of tomahawk shots on the floor but avoided a submission. Sandhagen briefly locked up his opponent before a back-to-back suplex on the buzzer from Bautista. Both fighters raised their hands at the end. Optimistic on Sandhagen's part.

Sandhagen-Bautista: Round 2

A steady round with Bautista keen to keep range and kick the injured leg, while Sandhagen waited for opportunities to get shots in. Sandhagen needs a big third.

Sandhagen-Bautista: Round 1

Sandhagen landed the best shot early and had slight edge for most of the opener, but Bautista had his moments including a flurry with both hands in the middle of the round and then a good combination mixed with a single leg take down and leg-lock submission attempt. It might have been enough to sneak the round in his favor - and left his opponent unsteady on his left leg.

Rematch next

Mario Bautista wants to get a revenge win against Cory Sandhagen after losing seven years ago.

Check out the mohawk

The wait is over

How to watch UFC 329: McGregor vs Holloway 2 in the UK

The main card of UFC 329: McGregor vs Holloway 2 will be shown exclusively live on TNT Sports Box Office.

UFC 329: McGregor vs Holloway 2 costs £19.99 in the UK and can be watched via HBO Max, EE TV, Virgin Media TV, Prime Video and Sky. Details on how to purchase:

EE TV customers can purchase the event via their STB on channel 494.

Any HBO Max tier customer can purchase the event on hbomax.com. An HBO Max subscription to any plan is also required.

Republic of Ireland viewers can purchase TNT Sports Box Office via Sky at https://www.sky.com/boxoffice/tnt-sports - €29.99.

Royval submits Kavanagh in Round 3

Royval began with a huge left hand-right uppercut combination but then had to eat a right hand in response. Royval kept command though and got Kavanagh to the mat, landing elbows before locking in one submission hold after another. Bravely Kavanagh stayed in the fight but could not produce any offense. Eventually, Royval got his back and Kavanagh was put to sleep so the fight was called off.

Royval-Kavanagh: Round 2

The fight was going the same way as the first round until a huge counter right hand rocked and wobbled Royval down to the mat. Royval got back to his feet but looked unsteady on his feet whenever Kavanagh landed. Kavanagh landed a jumping superman punch just before the buzzer which saw both men laughing tap each others' gloves.

Royval-Kavanagh: Round 1

The number-four ranked lightweight took control early on pressing behind his southpaw jab and keeping out of range from Kavanagh's counter-attacks, while he lands with a lot of his own. In the final couple of minutes Royval had Kavanagh down and landed shots with his opponent's back on the mat. Kavanagh will be glad to have the chance to start again in the second.

Another Brit in action next

Lone'er Kavanagh takes on Brandon Royval with a victory set to put him close to a title shot.

Arriving in style!

Green stops McKinney in Round 1

You knew it would be a war and it did not disappoint. McKinney looked the slicker with an elbow doing real damage to Green's face but, with his face a crimson mess, the King kept fighting back with accurate kicks. McKinney took Green down at the mid-point and lay siege to his opponent on the mat. McKinney got his back and looked set to send Green to sleep with a choke hold but Green got out of it and then started landing big shots with a big right to the body, countering a left uppercut, turning the fight. A non-stop flurry took McKinney to the ground and then the referee stopped the fight with a second on the clock.

First up, friends become foes

Terrance McKinney takes on King Green. McKinney seldom sees the second round let alone the third. Green, at the age of 40, is looking for his fourth win in succession.

The Main Card is about to get underway

What a card we have in front of us.

WATCH: The best moments from FIERY McGregor v Holloway 2 press conference

Video credit: TNT Sports

Whittaker wins by Round 3 TKO

The competitive contest swung both ways before the American took control in the third, winning by stoppage after his right hand broke Krylov's jaw.

Last fight of the prelims underway

Nikita Krylov takes on Robert Whittaker in a light-heavyweight fight.

Like a proud dad

Stevenson wins by Round 1 TKO

Educated feet from the big man. Ellison came out throwing fire but Stevenson's front kicks took Ellison off his game and then a big right hand had his opponent wobbling. A few knee lifts in close put Ellison down and, after one shot on the prone fighter, the contest was ruled off.

The big boys in action next

American hope Gable Stevenson takes on Eisa Ellison in his first UFC fight.

Yanez TKOs Garbrandt in Round 1

He first caught Garbrandt with a counter left hook as high opponent was coming in, before a right hand from Yanez had the American wobbling. Another right from up close was the beginning in the end with the referee jumping in to stop the contest with Garbrandt unable to stop shots raining down on him against the Octagon.

Garbrandt-Yanez next

It could be a blink and you miss it bantamweight bout.

Riley begins Paddy the Baddy chant

On the mic with Joe Rogan, Riley serenaded his training partner back in the dressing room preparing for his contest with Benoit Saint-Denis.

Riley TKOs Kamaka in Round 1

It was a tentative start, but Riley launches a vicious body shot in the mid-point of the round then a few seconds later landed an overhand right that put Tanaka down and he followed up with uppercuts and knee lifts before the referee stepped in.

A Brit first up...

The exciting Luke Riley (13-0) with some of the fastest hands in the game takes on the dangerous Kai Kamaka.

The Return of the Notorious One

What will McGregor have left after five years out of the Octagon?

'For the love of the game' - McGregor reveals passion for MMA ahead of UFC return

Video credit: TNT Sports

Hello and Welcome ...

Thanks for joining our coverage of UFC 329 live on TNT Sports Box Office.

How to watch UFC 329: McGregor vs Holloway 2 in the UK

The main card of UFC 329: McGregor vs Holloway 2 will be shown exclusively live on TNT Sports Box Office.

UFC 329: McGregor vs Holloway 2 costs £19.99 in the UK and can be watched via HBO Max, EE TV, Virgin Media TV, Prime Video and Sky. Details on how to purchase:

EE TV customers can purchase the event via their STB on channel 494.

Any HBO Max tier customer can purchase the event on hbomax.com. An HBO Max subscription to any plan is also required.

Republic of Ireland viewers can purchase TNT Sports Box Office via Sky at https://www.sky.com/boxoffice/tnt-sports - €29.99.

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