Conor McGregor Announces Knee Surgery, Updates Return Timeline in Video After Injury at UFC 329

UFC star Conor McGregor announced Monday he underwent surgery after suffering ACL and meniscus injuries in his first-round loss to Max Holloway at UFC 329.

The former featherweight and lightweight champion previously said he was on the shelf for nine months because of a torn ACL.

"With today's regenerative medicine advancements and improved training methods it is well within my realm to return by next summer," he said.

McGregor's return to the Octagon lasted just 1:09. He landed awkwardly after attempting a flying kick, and it quickly became clear he had suffered a serious knee injury. The referee eventually called for the bell.

The 38-year-old has already set his sights on completing a trilogy with Holloway during UFC's International Fight Week in 2027. He has one more fight remaining on his UFC contract.

Any timeline for McGregor's next appearance is obviously contingent on his recovery from surgery, and the UFC may have its own concerns about booking him for a major show.

As big as McGregor's profile is, he has fought just five times since beating Eddie Alvarez in 2016, and four of those were losses. He has battled multiple injuries and clearly lost a step inside the cage.

UFC president Dana White was circumspect when talking to TMZ Sports about what's next.

"McGregor has to have knee surgery. Then he's gonna have to go through physical therapy and a doctor's gonna have to give him a sign-off on when he can start training hard again," White said. "He's got a lot of things to figure out in his head, in his life, before he starts thinking about boxing or UFC again. It's gonna be a long comeback for him if he decides that's what he wants to do. He's got a lot of soul-searching [to do], find that fire that he used to have, and we'll see how that plays out."

It's too early to say with any certainty when or if McGregor will compete again. For now, that's what he has in mind.