Dana White reveals when Conor McGregor will be fit again after UFC 329 knee injury

UFC chief Dana White has issued an update on the injury suffered by Conor McGregor in his rematch against Max Holloway.

McGregor has one fight left on his UFC deal but tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) while attempting a high kick in the opening seconds of his comeback bout at UFC 329.

It was an unsatisfactory return to the Octagon for the Irish fighter, who had been out action for five years and is now set for another extended period on the sidelines.

White spoke after Sunday's debut event for Zuffa Boxing, the promotion he founded with Saudi Arabia's fight-maker, Turki Alalshikh.

With White at the event at Madison Square Garden and McGregor recuperating in California, the UFC boss revealed that he and the fighter had Facetimed to talk about the injury and a possible return timeline.

White was asked in the post-event press conference about videos of McGregor doing leg exercises. He didn't comment on that specifically.

"We had him on Facetime tonight [at] ringside," said White. "Conor McGregor is out for a year."

McGregor, 38, returned to UFC action this month for the first time since back-to-back losses against Dustin Poirier in 2021, both by technical knockout.

His comeback in Las Vegas lasted just 69 seconds as a result of McGregor's self-inflicted injury. Holloway was awarded the victory by TKO in his welterweight debut 13 years after McGregor defeated him by unanimous decision in their first meeting in Boston.

With the career series split after one win each, Holloway promised fans that he and McGregor would go again when the time is right.

"Let's give it up for [McGregor], what an absolute animal. You guys are lucky because there is going to be a Holloway vs McGregor 3 now," Holloway said after the truncated bout.

"It is what it is. I'll sit down with the UFC. There was so much hype for that. We have to run it back one more time. We need one more.

"I was looking forward to this. I was working hard to get to 170lb and fight this guy. For it to end like this, it sucks."

McGregor confirmed in the week after the fight that he had ruptured his ACL and torn his meniscus, an injury he had also suffered when he first competed against Holloway back in 2013.

The celebrated Irishman has now lost his last three fights by TKO and has won once in his last five appearances in the Octagon.

He now has a 22-7 career MMA record dating back to his debut in Dublin 18 years ago.

McGregor won his first seven fights under the Ultimate Fighting Championship banner and claimed the featherweight championship with a knockout win over Jose Aldo in 2015, followed by the lightweight belt with a win over Eddie Alvarez the following year.

His career has been more sporadic in the last decade amid injuries and aborted retirements and now faces another enforced absence after the frustration of blowing out his knee.