Conor McGregor fighting future after UFC 329 knee injury

Conor McGregor's comeback lasted 90 seconds before his knee gave out against Max Holloway at UFC 329, but reports suggest the former champion plans to fight at least once more in the octagon.

McGregor confirmed over the weekend that he tore his ACL and meniscus during the opening exchange with Holloway at T-Mobile Arena on July 11, sidelining him for a minimum of nine months. He has already signaled his intention to return next summer, according to MMA Fighting's Jed Meshew, who believes the Irishman wants to fulfill his UFC contract as quickly as possible.

McGregor's path to massive boxing paydays

The financial incentive to leave the UFC is substantial. Potential boxing matchups with Jake Paul and a trilogy bout with Nate Diaz could each command close to nine figures from Netflix, per Meshew's analysis. When factored alongside possible showdowns with Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao, or Mike Tyson, McGregor stands to earn hundreds of millions outside the promotion's framework.

Despite a five-year layoff and inconsistent recent performances, McGregor still generated massive ticket sales and viewership for UFC 329. The freak injury actually provides better cover for his next outing than an extended beating would have, Meshew argued, noting that a decisive loss to Holloway would have damaged his brand far more than a minute-one knee tear.

On the same card, Paddy Pimblett submitted Benoit Saint Denis and Robert Whittaker stopped Nikita Krylov in his heavyweight/" class="internal-link text-bone underline decoration-ash/30 hover:decoration-gold underline-offset-2">light heavyweight debut. Whittaker appeared undersized at 205 pounds, raising questions about whether the veteran can contend for a title in his new division.

McGregor is expected to target a summer 2027 return before pursuing options outside the UFC contract.

Original reporting:

• mmafighting.com — Mailbag: Is Conor McGregor ever going to fight again after the UFC 329 fiasco? | MMA Fighting