Conor McGregor is pushing hard for his 69-second TKO loss to Max Holloway at UFC 329 to be overturned to a no contest. He’s not just calling for a do-over, though: he wants everyone who bet on him to get their money back. It’s a bold move, but the facts, and the rules, are lining up against him.
That "Triumphant Return" Went Sideways in a Hurry
This was supposed to be McGregor's big comeback, stepping back into T-Mobile Arena five years after he broke his leg under the same roof. But his triumphant return ended with a whimper, clocking in at a mere 69 seconds. The injury flared up after his very first strike, an ill-advised jumping switch kick, especially for someone returning from a serious leg injury. McGregor quickly said he was compromised, and now he wants that moment scrubbed from the record. On his Instagram Story, he posted, "I will have the results of the scan on my leg tomorrow. The fight should be a no contest and all bets returned." He even claimed online right after the fight, "I had no injury/injuries going into the fight. I was throwing kicks, planted and jumping, all throughout camp as well as backstage before the fight." He insists, "This came out of nowhere."The Rules Are the Rules, No Matter What
Here’s where it gets tricky for the "Notorious" one. The Nevada State Athletic Commission, which oversaw the fight in Las Vegas, strictly follows the Association of Boxing Commissions' Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts. And those rules are crystal clear about what a no contest actually means. It’s when a fighter is stopped early due to an "accidental injury" and not enough time has passed to get a decision from the scorecards. The catch? Accidental injuries are super rare. An injury caused by an opponent's legal strikes, or worse for McGregor, by a fighter's *own actions* like a jumping kick or a misstep, is not considered accidental. Look at UFC heavyweight champ Tom Aspinall: he suffered a loss to Curtis Blaydes after injuring his knee 15 seconds in from a leg kick in 2022. That was a loss, plain and simple. Accidental injuries almost always come from an illegal move by an opponent or an external factor, like a fighter’s foot getting snagged in the cage or something flying from the crowd. So, with McGregor initiating the action that caused his injury, it’s looking incredibly unlikely the NSAC will overturn the results. And for anyone who put money down? Books have zero obligation to refund bettors if the result stays a TKO loss. The only other way refunds would even be on the table is if McGregor or the UFC knew about a pre-fight injury and hid it, but both parties have been adamant that he was healthy heading into the octagon. Looks like that 69-second TKO is here to stay.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.