LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JULY 11: (LR) Conor McGregor of Ireland faces Max Holloway in a welterweight fight during the UFC 329 event at T-Mobile Arena on July 11, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC)
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That didn’t end the way anyone expected. The most anticipated main event in recent UFC history ended shortly after it began when Conor McGregor appeared to suffer a serious knee injury that forced referee Mike Beltran to stop the UFC 329 main event.
Max Holloway got the official victory by TKO, but it all just felt empty. Let’s talk about MMA.
What happened to McGregor-Holloway 2?
In the first few seconds of the first round, McGregor threw a jumping kick that appeared to land badly on his right leg. He went down and smiled. He backed away, but continued to fall on the leg that looked stable.
After Holloway asked the referee to check on his opponent, McGregor was declared unfit to continue after the fight was over, just like that.
It was anticlimactic to say the least, and left a sour taste in the mouths of many MMA fans.
What happened in Pimblett vs. Benoit Saint Denis?
Paddy Pimblett didn’t make fans eager to see the big event wait for long. He needed just 52 seconds to make one of the smartest proposals of the year. Check out this D’Arce choke.
A title shot must seem inevitable for Pimblett.
Who Won UFC 329 Bonuses?
Brandon Royval vs. Lone’er Kavanagh is the unquestioned Fight of the Night. The flyweights went to war and represented their frame and the sport well.
Pimblett’s insane submission win easily earned him one of the performance bonuses. The other could go to anyone. In fact, Royval could have demanded double the bonus and no one would have complained much. If you think about what he did and his level of opposition, besides Pimblett who was very impressive? Finally, King Green’s victory over Terrence McKinney earned him the nod.
What are the results of UFC 329?
Here’s a look at all the results from Saturday’s event and highlights from all the polls.
Master Card
- Max Holloway explains. Conor McGregor by first round TKO
- Paddy Pimblett explains. Benoît Saint-Denis by first round submission (D’Arce Choke)
- Mario Bautista explains. Cory Sandhagen by unanimous decision (29-28×3)
- Brandon Royval explains. Lone’er Kavanagh via third-round submission (back dip)
Royval and Kavanagh deserve Fight of the Night. They put on a big show. Royval scored a knockdown in the second round and earned a third submission victory.
- Bobby “King” Green explains. Terrance McKinney by first round TKO
Stop coming back. McKinney seemed to think Green was dead on rights. Green’s face was bloody and he was compromising positions on the ground and standing. Unfortunately for McKinney, he caught his breath in the rush to finish. A body shot from Green sapped McKinney of will and energy and the fight was stopped with one second left in the first round.
Prelims
- Robert Whittaker explains. Nikita Krylov by third round TKO
Whittaker’s move up to light heavyweight is off to a good start. He appeared to break Krylov’s jaw with a vicious right hand that sent the latter reeling from the fight.
- Gable Steveson explains. Elisha Ellison by first round TKO
Steveson’s start was closely watched and he showed some damage passing Ellison in the first round. There was a warning about the low impact, but other than that Steveson did a good job.
- Adrian Yanez explains. Cody Garbrandt by first round TKO
Ynaez broke through a washed up Garbrandt. Despite the impressive nature of his finishing, his low counter value will make it difficult to get a bonus.
- Luke Riley explains. Kai Kamaka III by first round TKO
Riley’s anticipated debut was everything we expected. He outlasted Kamaka, finishing him by TKO in the first round. others opposed the suspension, but the result was an unexpected end.
First Prelims
- Cong Wang explains. Tracy Cortez by unanimous decision (29-27×3)
- Damian Pinas explains. César Almeida by first round KO
Pinas is a real talent and a remarkable prospect. He finished Almeida with a straight right that forced the referee to stop immediately.
- Farid Basharat explains. John Garza by unanimous decision (30-27×2, 29-28)
- Ryan Gandra explains. Zachary Reese by first round KO
The KO sensation just needed one shot to knock down and finish Reese. He made himself the early favorite for the bonus on a night full of finishes.
- Alessandro Costa explains. Cody Durden by second round submission (RNC)
Costa opened the night with a good win in the post. Here is the conclusion.
All in all, this was an interesting event and McGregor’s presence lifted the whole show
