Max Holloway has revealed the nine words he shouted during his 69-second victory over Conor McGregor at UFC 329 on Saturday night.

McGregor and Holloway were scheduled to go five rounds at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas in a rematch of their August 2013 bout. ‘The Notorious’ won that fight via decision, despite sustaining a torn ACL during the contest.

Injury would again play a part at UFC 329, but this time the Irishman was unable to battle his way through to victory.

Conor McGregor Suffers Devastating Injury at UFC 329

Entering the Octagon for the first time in five years, McGregor damaged his right leg badly while throwing a jumping roundhouse kick in the opening moments of the fight. The 37-year-old didn’t manage to land the blow, but his awkward landing when his right foot hit the canvas essentially ended the bout before it had really begun.

To his credit, McGregor did all he could to try and stay in the fight. However, every time he tried to regain his footing, the former two-division UFC champion fell straight back down to the mat.

It was immediately obvious to those close to the action that Conor was in serious trouble. Among those to instantly realise something was wrong was Holloway himself.

What Max Holloway Shouted During UFC 329 Win Over Conor McGregor

Mark J. Rebilas via Imagn Images

Speaking during his appearance at the post-fight press conference, Max was asked for his views on the fight’s premature ending.

The 34-year-old told the media exactly what he screamed at referee Mike Beltran once he knew that McGregor was badly injured.

“I told the ref: ‘Ref, stop the fight. He doesn’t want to fight!'”

The official would eventually take note of Max’s words, calling a halt to the fight after a little more than a minute. Holloway insisted he had no desire to inflict unnecessary damage on his incapacitated opponent, reasoning:

During his post-fight interview, Holloway floated the idea of a trilogy fight between the pair. McGregor has yet to answer that challenge as he limped out of the arena without speaking to Joe Rogan.

However, McGregor did break his silence on his loss, describing his mood as “beyond dark.” A potential diagnosis has emerged for Conor’s injury, and it does not appear that he will be back in action any time soon, if at all.

Backstage sources indicate that McGregor was offered crutches when he made it back to the locker room. McGregor is believed to have turned down any assistance and was later seen hobbling out of the venue on foot.

The long-awaited return of Conor McGregor ended in perhaps the most disappointing fashion, as an injury brought a stop to the contest just after the one-minute mark, with Max Holloway picking up the win via TKO.

From the off, McGregor didn’t look himself, with him struggling to put weight onto his right leg before even entering the Octagon. It only got worse as the fight began, as every time he applied weight onto the leg, he seemingly buckled to the mat.

The situation has led to plenty of discourse over how the injury came to be. Many have wondered whether it was an issue from training camp, or if it came from the early kick. Doctor Brian Sutterer has now given his thoughts on the whole situation, with a detailed breakdown of what actually occurred.

What’s Been Said About Conor McGregor’s Injury

Credit: Mark J. Rebilas via Imagn Images

In the post-fight press conference, Holloway admitted it felt like McGregor was different even prior to getting into the cage, as he said: “Even with him walking to the Octagon, it didn’t seem like the same Conor.”

He acknowledged his calmness, which perhaps differed from the rowdy McGregor we have seen over the past decade.

It wasn’t just Holloway who gave his thoughts, however, as Paddy Pimblett also reacted to the situation.

After talking with the doctor, UFC president Dana White talked about the injury potentially being a torn ACL, saying: “We are assuming a blown ACL. I’m no doctor, but that’s what I figured when I saw it, and doctors think the same way too.”

This is, of course, a fresh reaction to the situation, with doctor Sutterer providing a different view.

Doctor Analyses Conor McGregor’s UFC 329 Injury

Credit: Mark J. Rebilas via Imagn Images

Sutterer almost immediately took to his YouTube channel after watching the fight, and gave his analysis on what happened to McGregor. Among his thoughts, he looked at the first exchange, and what happened to the knee of the Irishman as he tried to land an early head kick.

“As he goes and lands, that knee is going to twist and rotate. This is a compromising position that’s challenging on the knee, but we don’t see that classic tibia shift forward, pop backwards to confirm that this is 100% an ACL,” he said.

After looking at more of the exchanges, and how McGregor seemingly couldn’t put any weight on his right leg, he gave his initial reading on what the issue actually is.

There was also some consideration of how awkward McGregor looked when preparing to walk into the Octagon. Notably, he looked quite considerate about not putting pressure on the leg.

“This absolutely to me looks like somebody who was dealing with something on that right knee, and didn’t want to put their weight down on it to brace and catch their fall,” Sutterer explained.

In terms of when McGregor can look to return, Sutterer thinks that, if it is just the meniscus tear, then it may be surgical with a three-to-sixth month recovery. However, if it is more serious than that, with the ACL, it will be a much longer absence.

Erling Haaland cut a bitter figure in Miami as Norway’s World Cup dream ended at the hands of England, and the Manchester City striker made his frustration clear in the aftermath.

The quarter-final went the distance, with neither side able to find a winner inside 90 minutes. Marc Guehi, John Stones and Nico O’Reilly, all Man City teammates of the Norwegian, combined to blunt his threat for long spells in stifling conditions, and the game swung on fine margins deep into extra-time.

Haaland was hauled off at the start of the second period of extra time, having given everything to drag his country to this stage, only to watch the closing stages unfold from the bench. What followed left him fuming, and he didn’t hold back when the full-time whistle blew.

Erling Haaland Fumes Over VAR Call in England vs Norway

via REUTERS/Dylan Martinez

Ten minutes into the second half, with the tie delicately balanced, Torbjorn Lysaker Heggem thought he had fired Norway into a decisive lead. The celebrations were cut short almost immediately, with VAR intervening to rule that Haaland had fouled Elliot Anderson in the build-up, wiping the goal off before the resulting corner could arrive.

The striker didn’t hold back in his assessment afterwards. “It feels a bit empty, to be honest,” he told TV 2 (per Metro):

Erling Haaland Demands Consistency

Burt Granofsky/Cal Sport Media/Sipa USA via Reuters

Haaland didn’t stop there, pointing to a wider pattern he feels goes against him in every match he plays. “Small moments decide things in the World Cup. Against Brazil we managed to turn it in our favour. Today, when we get the 50/50 decisions against us it will be difficult.”

He went further in a follow-up interview, questioning whether officials hold him to a different standard entirely. “So, if there is a free kick, I almost have to get a free kick in every duel – in every single match. Because I get pushed, I get pulled all the way, and I think it’s weak.”