UFC superstar Conor McGregor issued a statement following knee surgery after suffering a torn right ACL against Max Holloway.
McGregor suffered a significant knee injury against Holloway in their rematch, which took place on July 11 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Just 69 seconds into the match, McGregor lost via first-round injury TKO when he was unable to continue due to a lower-body injury, which we later learned was a torn ACL.
Nearly a month later, McGregor has finally received surgery on his ailment.
Conor McGregor’s Statement After Knee Surgery
Taking to his social media to provide his fans with an update on his knee surgery, McGregor released the following statement:
“Surgery done. Knee repaired. The doubters can keep talking. I didn’t run from the pain. I walked straight into it. Now the real work begins. Comeback season starts now. No shortcuts. No excuses. Just the will to rise again,” McGregor wrote on his Instagram caption.
In the video, McGregor referenced several other athletes who have had ACL surgeries and came back to win UFC titles — something McGregor actually once did back in 2013, when he suffered an ACL tear in his left knee in his first fight against Holloway only to come back and win the UFC featherweight title against Jose Aldo in 2014.
“What’s up, folks? The Mac is back, baby. My knee is repaired. Surgery was a success, and I am on the road to recovery. That should tell you everything you need to know about my mindset. Straight into surgery, knee repaired, and on the road. Let’s go. I want to give a shoutout to Dominick Cruz, who returned from multiple ACLs to recapture his bantamweight crown. Georges St-Pierre, multiple ACLs. I don’t know whether he returned after his second ACL; however, he’s doing backflips and movement is still stellar. Other notables in other sports, the NFL, Tom Brady’s done it. Adrian Peterson’s done it. These are my motivation here, especially the fighting boys. Unstoppable, baby. My mindset unstoppable, unbreakable,” McGregor said.
When Will Conor McGregor Return?
Typically, it takes an athlete roughly a year to return to their sport following an ACL tear, so fans shouldn’t expecet to see McGregor back in the Octagon until late in summer 2027 or perhaps in the fall fo 2027.
When he does return — and he has promised fans that he will — McGregor will be fighting out the final bout on his UFC contract, after which he will become a free agent.
Now 38 years of age, McGregor will be 39 years old when he returns to action, so it’s difficult to say what fans can expect from him in the twilight of his career.
As far as what the UFC plans on doing for McGregor in terms of a potential matchup, the Irishman has made it clear that a trilogy bout against Holloway is what he desires more than anything else. However, it’s difficult to say if that’s what the UFC will do for him, as there are tons of other potential fights, like Michael Chandler, that are available for him, as well.
Either you love him or hate him, but McGregor is the biggest name in MMA, and his return to the Octagon in 2027 is going to be another big event for the UFC.
Conor McGregor Issues Statement Following Knee Surgery