LOS ANGELES — Former double world champion Conor McGregor lost to Max Holloway after only 69 seconds because of a right knee injury yesterday, in his return to the Ultimate Fighting Championship after a five-year layoff.

Referee Mike Beltran stopped the mixed martial arts welterweight contest at UFC 329 in Las Vegas after Ireland’s McGregor, 37, fell to the mat three times in the first minute.

McGregor jumped and launched a roundhouse kick at Holloway in the opening seconds, but hurt his right knee as he planted his foot.

He crumpled twice more and grabbed at his right knee, prompting Beltran to end the bout.

“What can I say? I had him weak in the knees I guess,” Holloway said.

“So much hype. We’ve got to run it back one more time,” he said. “For it to end like this sucks.”

McGregor walked out of the octagon without comment and Holloway hoped the Irishman’s injury was “not too crazy”.

Holloway said he knew his opponent was in trouble when he backed off.

“I could tell. His whole demeanour changed. He said, ‘Fight! Fight!’,” added Holloway

In what McGregor called “the comeback of all comebacks in sports history”, the bout was a rematch of a 2013 featherweight fight which the Irishman won by unanimous decision.

McGregor had not fought since breaking his left leg in a 2021 defeat to American Dustin Poirier.