Max Holloway scored a stunning first-round technical knockout victory over Conor McGregor at UFC 329 on Saturday after the Irish star appeared to suffer a serious leg injury just seconds into their long-awaited welterweight showdown.
The fight ended only 1 minute and 9 seconds into the opening round. McGregor appeared to injure his right leg while attempting a jumping kick early in the contest. Although he briefly tried to continue, Holloway capitalised on the situation, forcing the referee to stop the fight and award the Hawaiian a TKO victory.
Following the stoppage, the two fighters embraced inside the Octagon in a show of mutual respect.
Earlier on the main card, Paddy Pimblett delivered one of the fastest submissions in UFC history, defeating Benoit Saint Denis with a D’Arce choke just 52 seconds into the first round. After defending an early takedown, Pimblett quickly transitioned from a guillotine attempt into the fight-ending submission.
In the bantamweight division, Mario Bautista strengthened his title credentials with a hard-fought unanimous decision victory over former title challenger Cory Sandhagen, with all three judges scoring the bout 29-28 in his favour.
Headlined by Holloway’s emphatic win over McGregor, UFC 329 delivered one of the promotion’s biggest nights of the year, while Pimblett and Bautista further enhanced their standing among the UFC’s top contenders.