Dana White on Conor's Fiasco: I Expected at Least 1 Round of a Real War

Conor McGregor refused crutches and limped out of the T-Mobile Arena after the disappointing end to his UFC 329 comeback on Saturday.

After a five-year absence, the former two-division champion's return ended catastrophically. McGregor began his bout against Max Holloway with a jumping spinning kick, but a bad landing appeared to cause a serious knee injury. His team helped him exit the octagon, and the Irishman immediately headed for the T-Mobile Arena exit to seek medical attention.

During the post-UFC 329 press conference, UFC CEO Dana White provided more information on McGregor's condition, while awaiting a definitive diagnosis for the sustained injury.

"Five years out of this sport is a long time," White stated. "I expected at least one round of a real war. And who knew what Conor was capable of in terms of endurance and everything else after a five-year absence? This is what happened. We suspect he has a torn ACL. I'm not a doctor, but that's what I thought when I saw what happened, and the doctors also believe so."

McGregor also suffered an ACL tear in his first fight against Holloway in 2013. He recovered relatively quickly then and returned to the octagon. Now, however, McGregor is on the verge of his 38th birthday and has once again sustained a serious knee injury, following his broken left leg in his 2021 bout against Dustin Poirier.

Understandably, White declined to speculate further on the injury or McGregor's future. He expects to receive more information after the Irish superstar undergoes examinations at the hospital.

"We'll find out when he gets an MRI," White said.

Until the full severity of the injury is determined, McGregor's future remains uncertain. He hasn't competed for five years – from breaking his leg in the third fight against Poirier to his return against Max Holloway at UFC 329 on Saturday. If the diagnosis of a torn ACL is confirmed – and if the injury isn't even more severe – McGregor could be out for another year. It's also unclear if he will ever compete again.