Conor McGregor’s knee injury and Benoit Saint‑Denis’s surprise loss headline UFC 329

UFC 329 in Las Vegas ended with two high‑profile setbacks. Conor McGregor suffered a torn ACL early in his comeback fight against Max Holloway and was stopped by injury TKO in just 69 seconds. In the lightweight division, French fighter Benoit Saint‑Denis was caught in a D’Arce choke and knocked out unconscious by Paddy Pimblett after only 52 seconds, marking Saint‑Denis’s first career submission loss.

After the event, UFC star Dustin Poirier criticized McGregor on his podcast, saying, “That injury couldn’t have happened to a better guy. ‘Karma is a mirror,’ and it definitely is. This guy is a dirtbag.” Saint‑Denis posted on Instagram, thanking fans and promising a return: “I am sorry to have let you down… I will come back stronger.” He remains in contention for future lightweight match‑ups, including a potential title eliminator and a possible bout with Poland’s Mateusz Gamrot.

The night also featured 11 finishes out of 14 fights, with Paddy Pimblett’s rapid victory propelling him up the lightweight rankings.