Conor McGregor Addresses Conspiracy Theory He Was Injured Before Holloway Fight and UFC Retirement

Conor McGregor denied carrying an injury into his fight with Max Holloway at UFC 329 on Saturday.

The bout ended when the referee called for the bell 1:09 into the first round. McGregor appeared to suffer a knee injury while attempting a flying kick.

He wrote Sunday morning the injury "came out of nowhere" and that he "was so sharp and so ready for this fight." The former featherweight and lightweight champion indicated he hopes to compete again:

Once the initial shock subsided, some fans wondered whether McGregor entered the Octagon at less than 100 percent, especially with how he was moving before the action began:

Those who tuned in and particularly those who bought a ticket at T-Mobile Arena couldn't have experienced more of a letdown. McGregor stepped into the cage for the first time in five years and was effectively done once the opening bell rang.

Because of that, formulating theories about an existing injury are understandable.

The most obvious argument against the theory is that McGregor adopted just about the most foolish gambit imaginable if he knew his knee was weakened. Why would a guy who's already hurt attempt an attack that put all of his weight on one knee?

Setting all of that aside, this may have been the last time McGregor fights under the UFC banner.

The 37-year-old said earlier this summer he earmarked an April 2027 date for his next event after UFC 329 was over. If his knee injury is as bad as feared, that's pretty much off the table.

Looking beyond that, White and other UFC officials have to be questioning whether they can trust McGregor to headline a major show. He has fought four times since 2018, and the last two ended in first-round injury stoppages.

As much star power as McGregor provides, that's undercut when he can't deliver.

UFC 329 may have been an ignominious end for one of the greatest fighters of his generation.