Garry Predicts McGregor Will Return for 1 More UFC Fight After 69-Second Loss

Q: Will Conor McGregor really return after ACL and meniscus surgery, or did UFC 329 reveal that his comeback window has closed?

McGregor is more likely than not to attempt one more UFC fight, but UFC 329 also showed that a meaningful late-career comeback is far from assured. The evidence for a return is strong. McGregor has said he intends to complete the final bout on his UFC contract, and Ian Machado Garry believes he will “100 percent” come back because a 69-second injury stoppage is not how a fighter of McGregor’s stature wants to end his career. McGregor has already posted positive recovery updates after ACL and meniscus surgery, saying he is walking without crutches, doing leg work, and targeting a return in 2027. But the harder question is whether he can return effectively, not just physically. He is 38, coming off a five-year layoff, and his recent UFC record is poor: just one win since 2016, with multiple stoppage losses and long absences caused by injuries and withdrawals. Dana White has made clear that surgery, rehabilitation, medical clearance and “soul-searching” all come before any serious comeback plans. ACL recovery in elite MMA is possible, and McGregor himself has competed after major leg injuries before. Yet age, ring rust, repeated layoffs and declining activity make a high-level resurgence much less likely than a ceremonial final appearance. UFC 329 did not definitively close the door, but it did narrow the realistic window. The most plausible outcome is one last contracted fight if his rehab goes well, rather than a sustained run back to championship relevance.

Q: If McGregor gets one final Octagon appearance, should it be a Holloway trilogy, a safer farewell matchup, or no fight at all?

A safer farewell matchup makes the most sense if Conor McGregor gets one final UFC appearance. The Holloway trilogy has emotional and commercial appeal because their series is effectively unresolved at 1-1, and both McGregor and Holloway have shown openness to it. But the practical case is weak. McGregor is 38, coming off a five-year layoff that ended after 69 seconds with ACL and meniscus damage, and Dana White has made clear there is no point discussing opponents until McGregor completes rehab and is cleared for full training. Holloway, meanwhile, is still active and has title ambitions; asking him to wait another year for a trilogy is unrealistic. A safer matchup better fits the facts. McGregor has said he wants to fulfill the last fight on his contract, and Ian Machado Garry’s argument is essentially about closure: not letting an injury be the final image. If that is the goal, the UFC should book a manageable opponent rather than a high-output elite like Holloway. That would reduce the risk of another damaging result while still giving McGregor a chance to leave on his own terms. No fight at all is also defensible if rehab stalls or medical clearance becomes an issue. After repeated major injuries and long inactivity, there is no shame in stopping here. But if he is healthy enough to return, the smartest route is not the trilogy. It is one carefully selected farewell bout that allows McGregor to finish his contract and close his career more cleanly.

3 articles · Updated · MMA Junkie · Aug 6

Ian Machado Garry said Conor McGregor will “100 percent” return, arguing the former champion will not want his comeback to end with a 69-second, injury-shortened defeat at UFC 329.
McGregor’s first fight after a five-year layoff ended in the opening round last month when he blew out his right knee against Max Holloway and later underwent surgery for a torn meniscus and ACL.
Garry said the abrupt ending would keep “living in his head,” leaving McGregor needing to “close the book” mentally after doing the work to return without getting to truly compete.
McGregor, 38, has said he intends to complete the final fight on his UFC contract and on Wednesday gave a positive update on his recovery from surgery.