UFC 329 gave fans plenty to talk about inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The biggest story came in the main event, where Max Holloway defeated Conor McGregor after the Irish star suffered a serious-looking knee injury just seconds into the fight. The card also featured a huge bounce-back win for Paddy Pimblett, a dramatic comeback from King Green, and an impressive victory for Mario Bautista over Cory Sandhagen.
UFC 329 Results & Highlights: Max Holloway evens rivalry with Conor McGregor after first-round TKO, Paddy Pimblett gets stunning win, and more
Max Holloway defeats Conor McGregor by first-round TKO
The long-awaited rematch between Conor McGregor and Max Holloway ended in heartbreaking fashion. McGregor opened the fight by throwing a head kick, but his left knee appeared to buckle as he planted his foot. He immediately lost balance and could barely stand. Max Holloway quickly realized something was wrong and moved in with punches while McGregor tried to stay on his feet.The referee stepped in and waved off the fight just 17 seconds into Round 1, giving Holloway a TKO victory. The result levels their rivalry at one win each. McGregor had beaten Holloway in their first meeting back in 2013, but this time the former featherweight champion finally got his revenge. It was also Holloway’s first fight at welterweight. After the fight, both fighters shared a respectful moment inside the Octagon. With the series now tied, talk has already started about a possible trilogy fight once McGregor recovers.
Paddy Pimblett chokes out Benoit Saint-Denis in just 51 seconds
Paddy Pimblett could not have asked for a better response after his loss to Justin Gaethje earlier this year.“The Baddy” wasted no time against Benoit Saint-Denis. After the Frenchman rushed forward, Pimblett locked up a front headlock, smoothly transitioned into a D’Arce choke, and forced Saint-Denis unconscious just 51 seconds into the opening round. The crowd exploded as the referee stopped the contest. Pimblett later celebrated by calling it the “submission of the year.” The quick finish puts him right back into the lightweight title conversation after entering the fight with plenty of doubters.
King Green rallies for dramatic first-round TKO
King Green survived a dangerous start before producing one of the wildest comebacks of the night against Terrance McKinney. McKinney nearly finished Green early with heavy punches and strong ground control. But the veteran stayed calm and waited for his chance. As McKinney slowed down, Green began attacking the body before landing a crushing left hook that dropped his opponent.The referee stepped in with only one second left in the opening round, giving Green his fourth straight victory.
Mario Bautista earns revenge against Cory Sandhagen
Mario Bautista picked up one of the biggest wins of his UFC career by defeating Cory Sandhagen via unanimous decision.Sandhagen looked sharp early, but he injured his leg during the fight, which limited his movement in the later rounds. Bautista took advantage with pressure, wrestling, and timely striking to edge the final two rounds on the judges’ scorecards. The judges scored the contest 29-28, 29-28, and 29-28 in Bautista’s favor. The win also avenged his submission loss to Sandhagen from their first meeting in 2019.
Other key UFC 329 results
Brandon Royval earned a submission victory over Lone’er Kavanagh in an action-packed flyweight bout. Robert Whittaker made his light heavyweight debut later on the card against Nikita Krylov in one of the featured matchups.UFC 329 will mainly be remembered for McGregor’s unfortunate injury, but Holloway’s victory, Pimblett’s lightning-fast submission, Green’s comeback finish, and Bautista’s statement win made it one of the most memorable cards of the year.
