Max Holloway defeated Conor McGregor with a first-round technical knockout after the Irish fighter appeared to suffer a leg injury early in their welterweight bout at UFC 329 on Saturday, while Paddy Pimblett and Mario Bautista recorded major victories on the main card.
Holloway’s highly anticipated clash with McGregor ended just 1:09 into the opening round. McGregor appeared to injure his right leg while attempting a jump kick in the opening seconds. Although he briefly tried to continue, the referee stopped the contest after Holloway pressed the attack, handing the Hawaiian a TKO victory.
Following the stoppage, Holloway and McGregor embraced inside the Octagon.
Earlier on the main card, Pimblett submitted Benoit Saint Denis with a D’Arce choke just 52 seconds into the first round, marking one of the fastest submissions in UFC history. After defending an early takedown attempt, Pimblett quickly transitioned from a guillotine to the fight-ending choke.
In the bantamweight division, Mario Bautista earned a unanimous decision against former title challenger Cory Sandhagen. All three judges scored the contest 29-28 in Bautista’s favor after a competitive three-round fight, strengthening his case for a title opportunity.
The event featured one of the UFC’s biggest fight nights of the year, with Holloway’s victory against McGregor headlining the card and Pimblett continuing his rise among the lightweight division’s top contenders.