That didn’t end the way anyone expected. The most anticipated main event in recent UFC history ended shortly after it began when Conor McGregor appeared to suffer a serious knee injury that forced referee Mike Beltran to call an end to the UFC 329 main event.
Max Holloway got the win officially via TKO, but it all just felt so empty. Let’s talk MMA.
What Happened in McGregor-Holloway 2?
In the opening seconds of the first round, McGregor threw a jumping kick and appeared to land awkwardly on his right leg. He went to the ground and grimaced. He got back up, but kept falling on the leg that looked unstable.
After Holloway appealed to the referee have his opponent looked at, McGregor was ruled unfit to continue and the fight was over, just like that.
It was anticlimactic to say the least, and it left a sour taste in many MMA fans’ mouth.
What Happened in Pimblett vs. Benoit Saint Denis?
Paddy Pimblett didn’t make fans who were eager to see the main event wait long. All he needed was 52 seconds to perform one of the slickest submissions of the year. Take a look at this D’Arce choke.
A title shot should seemingly be inevitable for Pimblett.
Who Won Bonuses at UFC 329?
Brandon Royval vs. Lone’er Kavanagh is the unquestioned Fight of the Night. The flyweights went to war and represented their division and the sport well.
Pimblett’s insane submission win made him an easy pick for one of the performance bonuses. The other one could have gone to anyone. As a matter of fact, Royval could have claimed a double bonus and no one would should have had a strong complaint. When you consider what he did and his level of opposition, besides Pimblett who was more impressive? In the end, King Green’s comeback win over Terrence McKinney earned him the nod.
What are the UFC 329 Results?
Here is a look at all of the results from Saturday’s event as well as highlights of all the finishes.
Main Card
- Max Holloway def. Conor McGregor via first-round TKO
- Paddy Pimblett def. Benoît Saint-Denis via first-round submission (D’Arce Choke)
- Mario Bautista def. Cory Sandhagen via unanimous decision (29-28×3)
- Brandon Royval def. Lone’er Kavanagh via third-round submission (rear-naked choke)
Royval and Kavanagh deserved Fight of the Night. They put on a great show. Royval shook off a knockdown in the second round and got the submission win in the third.
- Bobby “King” Green def. Terrance McKinney via first-round TKO
What a comeback. McKinney seemed to have Green dead to rights. Green’s face was bloodied and he was compromising positions on the ground and standing. Unfortunately for McKinney, he gassed chasing a finish. Body shots from Green drained the will and energy from McKinney and the fight was stopped with one second remaining in the first round.
Prelims
- Robert Whittaker def. Nikita Krylov via third-round TKO
Whittaker’s move up to light heavyweight got off to a great start. He appeared to break Krylov’s jaw with a vicious right hand that caused the latter to wave off the remainder of the fight.
- Gable Steveson def. Elisha Ellison via first-round TKO
Steveson’s debut was highly anticipated and he put on a destructive display pounding his way through Ellison in the first round. There was a warning for a low blow, but otherwise Steveson did a great job.
- Adrian Yanez def. Cody Garbrandt via first-round TKO
Ynaez’s smashed through a washed Garbrandt. Despite the impressive nature of his finish, the decreased value of his opposition will make it tough to earn a bonus.
- Luke Riley def. Kai Kamaka III via first-round TKO
Riley’s anticipated debut was everything we expected. He marched through Kamaka, finishing him via first-round TKO. some disputed the stoppage, but the outcome was a foregone conclusion.
Early Prelims
- Cong Wang def. Tracy Cortez via unanimous decision (29-27×3)
- Damian Pinas def. César Almeida via first-round KO
Pinas is a real talent and notable prospect. He decimated Almeida with a straight right that forced an almost immediate stoppage from the referee.
- Farid Basharat def. John Garza via unanimous decision (30-27×2, 29-28)
- Ryan Gandra def. Zachary Reese via first-round KO
The KO sensation just needed one shot to drop and finish Reese. He made himself an early favorite for a bonus on a night filled with finishes.
- Alessandro Costa def. Cody Durden via second-round submission (RNC)
Costa opened the night with a beautiful submission win. Here’s the finish.
In totality, this was an exciting event and McGregor’s presence elevated the entire show
