Paddy Pimblett Sympathizes With Conor McGregor After Devastating UFC 329 Injury

Paddy Pimblett admitted it was difficult to watch Conor McGregor's long-awaited UFC return come to such a heartbreaking end.

McGregor suffered a serious setback in the UFC 329 main event on Saturday when he injured his right knee just seconds into his rematch with Max Holloway. The former two-division champion appeared to damage the knee after throwing his opening kick, stumbled multiple times, and was unable to continue, forcing the referee to stop the contest after just 69 seconds.

Pimblett (24-4 MMA, 8-1 UFC), who earned a submission victory over Benoit Saint Denis (17-4 MMA, 9-4 UFC) in the co-main event, said he felt sorry for McGregor, whose return came after a five-year absence from competition following another major injury.

"It was sad to see," Pimblett said during the UFC 329 post-fight press conference. "That's the reality of this sport. You have to stay active and keep fighting. I think because he had been away for so long, his body just wasn't ready for that kind of intensity. He came out throwing a big kick straight away, and his knee gave out underneath him. I genuinely feel bad for him. He's worked so hard to make it back to the octagon, and then something like that happens within the first few seconds. You can't help but feel for him."

Saturday's bout marked McGregor's first appearance since suffering a horrific leg fracture in his 2021 TKO loss to Dustin Poirier. The former UFC champion has now gone 1-4 in his last five fights, with his only victory during that stretch coming against Donald Cerrone in 2020. Although speculation emerged that McGregor may have entered UFC 329 carrying an injury, "The Notorious" insisted afterward that he was fully healthy and said the knee injury occurred during the opening exchange.