Conor McGregor immediately suspended by UFC after comeback fight ends in just one minute
Conor McGregor will be immediately suspended tonight after his return to the UFC with Max Holloway ended in shocking fashion after his leg gave out.
McGregor retired just one minute and nine seconds into his comeback, storming out the ring whilst Holloway was declared the winner and refusing to do an interview with Joe Rogan.
McGregor returned to the Octagon for the first time since his horror leg break against Dustin Poirier, fighting in a rematch against Holloway two weight classes up and 13 years on from their first bout at featherweight.
The Irishman came out with a jumping kick in the opening moments, clearly landing awkwardly and hitting the deck.
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He soon after tried the same kick, again landing awkwardly as his knee gave out, and referee Mike Beltran was forced to waive off the contest.
McGregor has faced legal troubles amid his battle to return to the ring, having being found liable in a civil rape case in November 2024.
Nikita Hand accused McGregor of raping her in a Dublin hotel in 2018. In Ireland, unlike the UK, complainants are not automatically granted anonymity in civil rape cases.
A court heard she was badly bruised and a doctor had to remove a tampon she had been wearing using forceps. The trial led to widespread criticism of McGregor's return to MMA, particularly a recent interview on Jimmy Fallon’s show. McGregor has denied any wrongdoing.
McGregor’s return to fighting did not go to plan however, with Holloway reclaiming his loss against McGregor in 2013, and he will be unable to fight in the near future again.
Why has Conor McGregor been suspended from MMA?
Combat sports like MMA and boxing can take a big toll on an athlete's body, which is unsurprising given that you are effectively beating each other up.
This results in bad injuries, including broken ribs and jaws, eye injuries, and of course trauma to the head.
McGregor's knee blowing out of course comes as a massive shock, and may see him face another extended spell on the sidelines, but even if he changed his mind and wanted to fight tomorrow he wouldn't be able to.
Athletes are routinely barred from fighting for a set period after a match in order to make sure that they can properly recover.
Let's put it this way - you wouldn't go back to work with three broken ribs, so sporting bodies will bar athletes from competing for a mandatory rest period.
It's unclear if McGregor would actually want to fight again anytime soon, taking long breaks after each of his last few fights.
How long does the suspension last?
How long someone is suspended for depends on several factors, including the assessment of a ringside physician who will determine whether someone needs a rest period.
While some suspensions are just for a set period of time, for example one week, others require an athlete to meet certain conditions before being cleared to compete again to demonstrate that they are fit enough.
This varies by the local athletic commission the fight is taking place in, with Khamzat Chimaev making headlines in 2020 by fighting twice in 10 days in Abu Dhabi, the record for the modern era.
The NSAC (Nevada State Athletic Commission) demand a minimum of one week, and can raise it to 180 days in some cases depending on the physical condition of an athlete after a match.
However, they will be allowed to spar with contact during training. A TKO (Technical Knockout) ranges between 45 to 60 days, while severe damage requires an 180-day ban.
The second higher level is a 'no contact' or 'no sparring' suspension, where someone's injuries are deemed to be serious enough that they require a period of no contact sport at all to allow their body to recover.
These might be paired with a clearance requirement, such as being signed off by a doctor, getting certain medical scans, or even being signed off by a specialist.
Another example of such suspensions was in the fight between Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua, which took place last December.
This saw Joshua breaking Paul's jaw during the bout, claiming victory.
Under boxing regulations, the fighters were required to have three days' rest per round, and if someone has a technical knockout then they are suspended for 30 days to allow them to recover, while a full knockout is at least 60 days.
Topics: Conor McGregor, UFC, MMA
Michael Slavin