SouthernWorldwide.com – UFC commentator Joe Rogan has weighed in on Conor McGregor’s injury during his return to the octagon at UFC 329 against Max Holloway, attributing the setback to a “crazy” kick attempt in the opening round.
McGregor’s highly anticipated return was cut short when he sustained an injury attempting a jumping roundhouse kick, a move Rogan believes was ill-advised and poorly executed.
“He just tried a crazy move. He tried a jumping roundhouse kick,” Rogan stated during the UFC broadcast. “If you don’t land in a good way, with a supporting way, you put so much pressure on that knee. He landed with his knee in the worst position.”
The impact of the failed kick was immediately apparent, as McGregor was seen clutching his knee. Despite his attempts to continue, the referee, Mike Beltran, was forced to stop the fight after McGregor’s subsequent kick also showed clear signs of impairment.
Rogan speculated that the injury might have been a torn ACL, emphasizing that such a high-risk maneuver is not advisable under those circumstances. “He blew his ACL out with the very first move that he did,” Rogan suggested. “It sucks, but it’s just, you don’t do that.”
Following the fight, UFC president Dana White confirmed that McGregor had indeed torn his ACL, though further scans would be necessary to definitively confirm the diagnosis.
Former MMA fighter and now broadcaster Daniel Cormier offered an additional perspective, suggesting that McGregor’s extended absence from the sport might have played a role in his decision-making during the fight.
“When you’ve been away from that for so long, and you come back in there, it’s like you’re shot out of a cannon,” Cormier explained. “So, you see these guys that have been gone for a long time do things that doesn’t make sense. And I think that’s what happened to Conor.”
McGregor, visibly dejected by the stoppage, was experiencing his first fight since his bout with Dustin Poirier on July 10, 2021. The loss marked a disappointing end to his comeback.
In a candid post-fight tweet, McGregor expressed his devastation, stating he felt completely healthy prior to the match. “My head gasket is gone. Destroyed,” he wrote. “I had no injury/injuries going into the fight. I was throwing kicks, planted and jumping, all throughout camp as well as backstage before the fight. This came out of nowhere. I am beyond dark here. I can only describe it as hell.”
Rogan also posited that McGregor might have been attempting to project an image of fearlessness with his signature kicks, even on his surgically-repaired left leg. Regardless of the motivation, the outcome was detrimental to the Irish fighter.
With this TKO loss, Conor McGregor’s professional UFC record now stands at 22 wins and 7 losses.
