Max Holloway Says Conor McGregor Ordered Him to Keep Fighting Despite Injury in UFC 329 Main Event

Max Holloway revealed Saturday night after his technical knockout win over Conor McGregor at UFC 329 that McGregor called for him to keep fighting despite a knee injury that ended the bout after just one minute and nine seconds.

Speaking to reporters following the event (beginning at the 40-second mark of the video), Holloway talked about McGregor's attempt to keep the fight going even when it was apparent that he could not continue:

"This is how crazy Conor is," Holloway said. "The first time he's on the ground, I punch him and he's like, 'Fight! Fight!' I was like, 'OK.' That's why I backed up. I said, 'Let's turn up then. Let's fight.' And then he fell back down and then the fight was called."

Holloway also discussed the dialogue he had with the referee during the fight (beginning at the 3:40 mark of the video), saying, "I told the ref, 'Stop the fight. He doesn't want to fight.' I was like, 'Bro, his demeanor isn't right.' And then he said, 'Fight,' the first time. So, I was like, 'OK, stand up.' So I backed up, he stood up and then he tried to do this hop step where he hopped forward, hopped back. And then he did it again, and then when he went back he just kind of grabbed his leg and he screamed, 'Ah!" And I was telling the ref, 'Come on, bro. This guy brang his kids to the fight. I ain't trying to beat up a wounded dog.'"

Competing in his first fight in five years, McGregor's leg appeared to buckle on his first attempted kick of the bout, and it wasn't long before the contest had to be called in favor of Holloway.

Although McGregor's injury hasn't been officially diagnosed yet, UFC President Dana White told reporters after the bout that early indications are McGregor tore his ACL, saying, "We're assuming a blown ACL. I'm no doctor, but that's what I figured when I saw it, and doctors think the same thing too."

While it quickly became apparent that McGregor was injured, Holloway suggested that he sensed something different about the Irishman before their fight even started.

Speaking at the 1:49 mark of the video, Holloway said of McGregor, "Even with him walking into the Octagon, it just didn't seem like the same Conor. He was there to fight, but I thought he'd be a little bit more rowdy, a little bit more crazy. He looked really, really calm. I was just kind of like, 'Oh wow. Let's see how this goes.' And then, of course, I knew he was gonna attack me and it was a kick. So, it sucks."

The 37-year-old McGregor had not fought since UFC 264 in July 2021 when he lost to Dustin Poirier by doctor's stoppage after breaking his leg.

His fight against Holloway on Saturday essentially had the same result, calling into question whether McGregor will ever step foot inside the Octagon again.

Holloway was seemingly hopeful after the bout that he and McGregor could fight one more time to make it a trilogy after splitting their first two meetings, telling reporters, "We gotta do a third. Hopefully, his injury [is] not too crazy. I know he was saying that they wanted him back in April. I can do that. That'd be fun. I wanna actually feel this 170 [pound] weight and power that he says he has. So maybe we can do it back."

With Saturday's defeat, McGregor has now lost four of his past five fights, meaning he is a far cry from the fight who once held the UFC featherweight and lightweight titles simultaneously.

McGregor's popularity remains undeniable, but based on his most recent results, his time as a top-flight fighter may be over.