Khabib Nurmagomedov's former coach laments Conor McGregor's injury at UFC 329

McGregor focused before fighting in the UFC. Photo: Courtesy of X/UFConParamount

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The serious injury suffered by Conor McGregor at UFC 329 touched even one of the figures most closely linked to the biggest rival of his career. Last Saturday (11), in Las Vegas (USA), the Irishman returned to the octagon after more than five years away, but ended up seriously injuring his knee in the main fight against Max Holloway . The episode led Javier Mendez, Khabib Nurmagomedov 's coach , to lament the outcome and show respect for the former champion.

In an interview with the YouTube channel Submission Radio, the coach of the American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) praised McGregor's dedication to returning to the highest level of the sport. Despite the historic rivalry built alongside Khabib, Mendez stated that he was saddened to see 'The Notorious' leave the octagon injured.

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“Seeing a warrior like Conor train so hard after five years of inactivity and return to the ring, only for something like this to happen, is heartbreaking. I may not like him as a person sometimes, but I have to respect the great warrior he is. Seeing him leave this way is not how I would want anyone to leave,” declared the trainer.

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The statement is noteworthy given the history between the two sides. Mendez was in the Russian's corner throughout the former lightweight champion's career (up to 70,3 kg), including his victory over McGregor at UFC 229 in 2018. The fight is considered one of the biggest and most memorable in the organization's history.

Watch the video of Conor McGregor's injury at UFC 329.

🚨 Conor McGregor Injury

🚑 The UFC guide was injured on the right wheel within 3” of starting the fight.

In the images we can see a clear torsion + dynamic roller valgus typical of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. pic.twitter.com/2AdKo5qQFZ

— Ángel Villanueva (@angelphysio) July 12, 2026

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Remember Khabib vs. Conor?

Khabib celebrates his UFC victory with his father. Photo: Reproduction/Facebook/UFC

The clash between Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov took place in October 2018, in the main event of UFC 229, and went down in history as one of the most memorable events ever promoted by the organization. The rivalry went beyond the limits of the sport after months of provocations, personal attacks, and the famous incident involving the Russian's bus, attacked by 'Notorious' months before the fight.

When the octagon door closed, however, Khabib's dominance was absolute. Superior in wrestling, the then-champion took down the Irishman on several occasions, even staggering him with a knockdown, and in the fourth round he locked in a rear-naked choke that forced McGregor to tap out, authoritatively defending his lightweight title.

The tension, however, did not end with the fight. Immediately after his victory, the Russian jumped the octagon fence to confront members of the Irishman's team, triggering a general brawl that took over the arena and resulted in punishments for both sides. Undefeated, the Russian ended his career with a perfect record of 29 wins in 29 fights, while Conor never got the rematch he had been demanding for years.