Conor McGregor UFC 329 injury sparks conspiracy theories

Conor McGregor's knee injury at UFC 329 has sparked a wave of conspiracy theories among fans questioning whether the Irishman entered the cage already compromised.

In MMA Mania's latest mailbag, readers pressed staff writers on whether McGregor's torn ACL — which ended his welterweight bout against Max Holloway just seconds into the first round — was legitimate or part of what one reader called a "pre-planned cash grab." The questions ranged from McGregor's reported visit to a pain management doctor during fight week to speculation that he was dealing with drug withdrawal.

Writers dismiss pre-fight injury theories

The consensus among MMA Mania's writing staff was that McGregor was not seriously hurt before entering T-Mobile Arena on July 11. Staff writer Tim Edwards noted that backstage footage of McGregor drilling the kick that would ultimately destroy his knee looked convincing. "I don't buy that McGregor was hurt going into this fight," Edwards wrote, adding that the 37-year-old has historically avoided competing when compromised. Fellow writer Jesse Holland pointed to McGregor's previous withdrawal over a broken pinky toe as evidence he would have pulled out if the knee was already damaged.

Edwards suggested McGregor's desperation stemmed from mental factors rather than physical ones, calling the explosive kick attempt "a desperate shot" from a fighter trying to recapture the magic of his 13-second knockout of Jose Aldo. Thomas Myers blamed the catastrophic injury on age and years of bodily abuse, describing the attempted spinning kick as "a high-risk, low-reward move" for someone on the wrong side of 35 who had not competed in five years.

The UFC 329 main event marked McGregor's first Octagon appearance since 2021 and ended in a no-contest after his knee buckled while throwing the kick. McGregor later demanded sportsbooks refund bettors who lost money on the fight, though operators told him to foot the bill himself.

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• MMA Mania — Mania Mailbag: McGregor’s injury a ‘pre-planned cash grab’?