McGregor denies pre-existing knee injury claim and says he will seek rematch with Holloway

Conor McGregor dismissed rumors that he fought UFC 329 with a pre-existing knee injury, stating he was in good health when he entered the octagon. The Irish fighter’s knee gave way after a jumping roundhouse kick, prompting referee Mike Beltran to stop the bout.

"More nonsense," McGregor wrote on Twitter. "I had zero issue. The taking off of my shoe at octagon side, a sweaty foot, without a sock on, pulling off the shoe with the ball of my free foot. It was a brief disbalance, if even. I was primed, fit, healthy. My engine, my oxygen, my blood, my heart rate, was never in better condition. Next time I’ll give a little scream at the camera so the illusion of something else is there."

He contrasted the injury with a 2013 fight against Max Holloway, where he suffered a torn ACL to his back leg but was able to continue. McGregor explained that the recent injury involved his lead leg, affecting every movement, and that the stoppage was not his request.

"The first fight was midway through the second round and we were positioned on the canvas where there was no weight bearing necessary. It was also the left leg, which is my back leg in fighting stance. When you strike you move onto your lead leg so the effect was less. This current one was my lead leg, the right leg. Every movement was affected. It was also not me who was calling for the fight to be waved."

McGregor said he will undergo surgery after an MRI confirms the extent of the damage and expects to be out of competition until at least 2027. He indicated that, should he return, his next opponent would be Max Holloway, and he has not signaled interest in extending his current UFC contract.

"It has to be Holloway," McGregor said.