Max Holloway reveals 'crazy' thing Conor McGregor told him before injury ended UFC 329 fight
In an open and honest post-fight interview, Max Holloway called Conor McGregor "f–––– crazy" for what he said during their short-lived bout at UFC 329.
McGregor's much-anticipated comeback fight in Las Vegas ended in an underwhelming 69-second defeat to Holloway, who landed 12 significant strikes after the Irishman suffered a nasty-looking injury.
It appears McGregor blew his knee out, just moments after throwing an audacious jumping roundhouse kick in the opening exchanges.
UFC commentator Joe Rogan was convinced the injury occurred in the aftermath of that missed kick. "He runs out at the start of the fight, jumps and throws a kick," said Rogan. "He steps, watch his right leg, and right there. Blows his knee out."
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"He tries to throw it again and it buckles," Rogan added, after McGregor struggled to stay on his feet. "He winces in pain. It's his right knee, that is crazy. That is literally crazy."
The contest was waved off at 1 minute, 9 seconds, with Holloway being awarded a TKO victory.
Max Holloway couldn't believe what Conor McGregor said during their welterweight bout
Speaking to Megan Olivi on the Paramount+ YouTube channel, Holloway gave an insight into his victory over McGregor.
“A win is a win, you know?” Holloway said. “A couple of people got wins over me that kinda p–– me off. But at the end of the day, when it’s all said and done, they’re gonna go down and look in the history books.
"They’re just gonna look at a piece of paper and see a W next to your name. So that’s what I’m taking it as.”
“I had him weak in the knees. What can I say? At the end of the day, it is what it is. We gotta do a third. Hopefully, his injury not too crazy. I know he was saying that they wanted him back in April. I can do that. That’d be fun. I wanna actually feel this 170 weight and power that he says he has. So maybe we can do it back.”
“Just right now, I’m just praying for the guy,” he added. “All jokes aside, as a human being.”
According to Holloway, a determined McGregor didn't want the fight to be stopped, despite his serious injury.
“When I was in there, you could see me telling the ref, ‘Bro, this guy is done. Just [stop it].’ And the referee was telling me, ‘Bro, thank you for pushing me because that was a hard spot.’ And Conor’s crazy. Conor was like, ‘Fight! Fight! I was like, ‘You’re f--king crazy, bro.
“For the first one when he first fell down, he was like, ‘Fight! Fight!’ I’m good. And [then] we went down at the same time. I could just tell. Like, his whole demeanour changed," added Holloway. "I was like, ‘Bro, just call the fight,’ you know?”
READ MORE: Conor McGregor releases dark statement after 69-second loss to Max Holloway at UFC 329
Dana White issues update on Conor McGregor's condition
In his post-event press conference, UFC president Dana White confirmed McGregor has suffered a suspected anterior cruciate ligament injury.
"Listen, everybody who knows anything about the fight business, and it's been a big topic leading upto this fight, five years off is rough," White said.
"Great card, unbelievable. The Paddy Pimblett fight before, you could feel it in the air, here we go. I was expecting at least a one-round war, who knew what Conor was capable of in terms of cardo after a five-year lay-off.
"But there you go. We're assuming blown ACL. I'm no doctor what I figured when I saw it and the doctors thought it too."
Topics: Conor McGregor, Max Holloway, UFC, MMA
Jack Kenmare