Conor McGregor's return to the Octagon at UFC 329 was halted just minutes into his welterweight bout against Max Holloway after the Irish fighter appeared to injure his knee. The fight concluded after McGregor signaled to referee Herb Dean that he could not continue.
The injury occurred during McGregor's use of a scissor kick early in the first round. He fell to the canvas and, after rising, attempted the same kick again, leading to him crumpling to the ground once more. He then waved off the fight.
This abrupt end marks a deflating conclusion to a comeback that had been five years in the making. McGregor's last appearance in the Octagon, at UFC 264, resulted in a broken leg sustained during his fight against Dustin Poirier, requiring surgery and extensive rehabilitation.
The latest injury, occurring on the opening sequence of his return fight, is likely to raise questions about McGregor's physical durability at the elite level of mixed martial arts.