LAS VEGAS (AP) 鈥� Conor McGregor鈥檚 return against Max Holloway at UFC 329 ended at just 1:09 of the first round Saturday night because of a knee injury.
Fighting for the first time in more than five years, McGregor flew across the ring with a flying left roundhouse kick when the match started and landed awkwardly on his right knee.
After attempting to kick and strike Holloway (28-9-0) two more times, it was clear McGregor (22-7-0) couldn鈥檛 finish the scheduled five-round welterweight bout.
鈥淔ive years off in this sport is rough,鈥� UFC President Dana White said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e assuming a blown ACL. That鈥檚 what I assumed when I saw it, and that鈥檚 what the doctors think, too.鈥�
Holloway closed a -300 favorite at Bet MGM Sportsbook, which means a bettor would have to lay $300 to win $100. McGregor was a +240 underdog, which means a bettor would win $240 with a $100 wager on the Irishman.
McGregor, who strolled to the ring to the sounds of Notorious Biggie Smalls鈥� 鈥淗ypnotize鈥� and the roar of the sold-out crowd, last fought exactly five years and a day before Saturday night.
To the delight of a frenzied audience just hours after his home country of England won its quarterfinal match over Norway in the World Cup, Liverpool鈥檚 Paddy Pimblett (24-4-0) made quick work of Benoit Saint Denis (17-4-0) with a first-round TKO. Pimblett, who closed a +120 underdog, blocked a roundkick, shot in and quickly applied a front headlock to put Saint Denis to sleep for the win in 52 seconds.
In a bantamweight battle, Mario Bautista (18-3-0) defeated Cory Sandhagen (18-7-0) by unanimous decision, after taking advantage of a first-round leg kick and applying pressure in each round after. A flurry of punches in the third round secured the decision.
In a scheduled three-round flyweight bout, Brandon Royval (18-9-0) applied a rear-naked choke on Lone鈥檈r Kavanagh (10-2-0) to win by submission at the 3:40 mark of the final round.
In an absolute shocker to start the main card, a bloodied King Green (36-17-0) overcame a beating for nearly the entire first round before landing a right hand to the jaw of Terrance McKinney (18-9-0) with roughly 20 seconds left, and then finished him off for a TKO at the 4:59 mark.
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