Max Holloway has broken his silence following his UFC 329 victory over Conor McGregor, sharing a heartfelt message for the former two-division champion after their highly anticipated rematch ended in unfortunate fashion.
After years of anticipation, McGregor finally returned to the Octagon for the first time in five years. However, the comeback ended abruptly when an injury forced the fight to a disappointing conclusion.
Throughout the contest, Max Holloway showed restraint as McGregor struggled with the injury. Rather than chasing a finish, Holloway repeatedly urged the referee to intervene, choosing sportsmanship over unnecessary damage.
While the result handed Holloway a return to the win column, the former featherweight champion admitted it was not the outcome he had envisioned.
Taking to Instagram a day after UFC 329, Holloway reflected on the victory and thanked those who supported him throughout his journey.
“Not the outcome we wanted, but God’s plan is always the right one,” Holloway wrote. “Thank you Conor for the fight. It took a lot to make that walk after these past few years. Sending prayers for a speedy recovery. Shout out to my family, team, friends, and Blessed Expressers for the support. What a life we live. See you at the next one.”
The victory marked an important bounce-back performance for Max Holloway, who entered the fight looking to rebound from a disappointing loss in his previous outing. While he has already spoken about his interest in a potential trilogy fight with McGregor, Holloway made it clear that he respects the challenge his longtime rival faced in returning to competition.
McGregor, meanwhile, has already vowed to fight again. However, questions remain about the severity of the injury and how quickly he can recover. The Irish superstar still has one fight remaining on his current UFC contract, but uncertainty now surrounds whether he will make another walk to the Octagon.
Adding to those concerns, respected coach Ivan Flores expressed doubt about McGregor’s ability to overcome another lengthy rehabilitation process.
Speaking during an appearance on Daniel Cormier’s YouTube channel, Flores admitted that the result was disappointing given the amount of preparation both teams invested in the matchup.
“I don’t think so,” Flores said when asked whether McGregor can bounce back again. “If that knee’s blown out, man, everything that it’s going to take for him to come back, you know what I mean? And then have the confidence, we’re looking at like another year. That’s a tough thing to do, man.”
For now, Max Holloway can celebrate a successful night at UFC 329, even if the ending was far from ideal. As the MMA world waits for updates on McGregor’s condition, Holloway remains focused on what’s next while continuing his climb back toward title contention.
