Conor McGregor announced on Sunday that he is targeting International Fight Week 2027 for his next UFC fight, which he is calling “The Last Dance,” after suffering a torn ACL and meniscus just 69 seconds into his UFC 329 bout against Max Holloway on July 11 in Las Vegas.

The 37-year-old former two-division champion posted a video to Instagram on July 27, 2026, writing: “What was to be a generational beating is now to be reset. IFW 2027 The Last Dance.” The post follows UFC CEO Dana White confirming the severity of the injury and a lengthy timeline for recovery.

How Did Conor McGregor Get Injured at UFC 329?

McGregor’s long-awaited rematch with Max Holloway at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas ended before it began. In the opening seconds of the first round, McGregor attempted a flying switch kick and his right knee buckled on landing. Referee Mike Beltran stopped the contest at the 69-second mark due to the injury, awarding Holloway the TKO victory.

Dana White confirmed the extent of the damage shortly after the event: “Conor McGregor is out for a year.”

What Did Conor McGregor Say About His ‘Last Dance’ Plans?

McGregor addressed his future in a series of posts following the injury. In one, he laid out his full roadmap back to the octagon: “Surgery. Prehab. Return to martial arts practice. Go again. Final fight of the contract.”

He also expressed confidence in his recovery timeline: “With today’s regenerative medicine advancements and improved training methods it is well within my realm to return by next summer.”

The announcement of “The Last Dance” carries weight beyond the injury. McGregor has one fight remaining on his current UFC contract and has previously suggested he may explore free agency once that obligation is fulfilled. At IFW 2027, he would be 39 years old.

MMA Fighting covered McGregor’s announcement as it broke on social media:

Who Will Conor McGregor Fight in His UFC ‘Last Dance’?

McGregor has made his preference clear. He wants Max Holloway. The two fighters have now met twice, with Holloway winning both the 2013 original and the chaotic UFC 329 rematch this month. A third meeting at IFW 2027 would complete one of MMA’s most unfinished rivalries.

If the UFC cannot arrange Holloway, other names have surfaced. Carlos Prates and Khamzat Chimaev have been discussed as alternatives, while a title shot against the winner of Islam Makhachev vs. Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330 on August 15 remains a longer shot given McGregor’s current standing.

When Is Conor McGregor Expected to Return to the UFC?

International Fight Week typically takes place in late June or early July, which puts McGregor’s target return approximately one year from his injury. That aligns with White’s stated recovery window and with McGregor’s own ACL recovery from 2013, which he completed in around nine months.

McGregor has not won a UFC fight since defeating Donald Cerrone in January 2020. He carries a three-fight losing streak into what he is calling his farewell, and the UFC will require him to re-enter the USADA drug testing pool before he can compete. A minimum enrolment period applies.

The fight that defines McGregor’s legacy may well come down to what happens in Las Vegas next summer.