“Drilled Daily For Months”: Conor McGregor’s Coach Shocked By UFC Icon’s Knee Injury

Conor McGregor’s UFC comeback ended in disappointment as his fight against Max Holloway in Las Vegas lasted just 69 seconds. Competing for the first time in five years, McGregor was forced to retire from the contest after suffering a knee injury while attempting an opening-round roundhouse kick. The incident sparked speculation among fans, with many suggesting that the Irish fighter may have entered the bout carrying an injury. However, those claims were dismissed by McGregor’s manager, John Kavanagh, who stated in a social media post that the former champion was fully fit heading into UFC 329.

“That opening jump switch kick was drilled daily for months, multiple times in warmup. Never an issue,” John Kavanagh wrote on Facebook. “Knee went when he (threw) the very first kick. Doesn’t get any worse than this.”

McGregor himself also addressed the rumours, rejecting the speculation in a post on X and insisting that he had stepped into the Octagon in peak condition. “I was so sharp and so ready for this fight I cannot believe what has happened. 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,” he wrote.

He added, “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,” shutting down claims that he was carrying an injury before the bout.

The clip of the fight, which went viral on social media, showed McGregor exploding forward with a jumping kick in the opening seconds before landing awkwardly on his right leg. While he initially continued fighting, his movement appeared noticeably restricted almost immediately. Seconds later, he stumbled while throwing a left hand and struggled to plant his right foot as Holloway pressured him.

ALL ANGLES In depth look at how Conor McGregor injured his leg #UFC329 pic.twitter.com/x5Xc6FMGer

— Mcgregor Forever (@mcgregorufc22) July 12, 2026

Rather than pressing the attack, Holloway noticed something was wrong. The former featherweight champion stepped back and pointed toward McGregor’s injured leg, prompting referee Mike Beltran to take a closer look. Seeing McGregor unable to put weight on his right leg, Beltran immediately stopped the contest, awarding Holloway a first-round TKO.

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