Makhachev On McGregor's UFC 329 Knee Injury

Islam Makhachev said he sympathized with Conor McGregor after the Irishman tore his ACL just over a minute into his UFC 329 comeback in June.

McGregor was making his first appearance in five years when he threw a jumping roundhouse kick to open his fight against Max Holloway, landed awkwardly, and blew out his knee. The bout was waved off at the 69-second mark of the first round. Speaking to Complex Sports, the UFC welterweight champion admitted he expected Holloway to win but not in that manner.

Makhachev Expected Different Finish

"Honestly, I feel bad," Makhachev said, according to MMA Fighting. "I know Max is going to beat him but not fast like this in the first minute. I wanted to see how he fights after the five years and honestly, I felt bad when this happened."

McGregor has since undergone surgery and reportedly aims to return at International Fight Week 2027. The former two-division champion said his next bout is the final fight on his UFC contract, raising questions about whether he'll test free agency afterward.

Makhachev defends his welterweight title against Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330 in Philadelphia. The champion's team has a storied rivalry with McGregor dating back to the 2018 bout between the Irishman and Khabib Nurmagomedov, which ended in a post-fight brawl.

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• MMA Fighting — Islam Makhachev reacts to Conor McGregor blowing out his knee at UFC 329: ‘I feel bad’