McGregor may have headlined his last card

The UFC 329 fallout dominated the day, with the severity of Conor McGregor's knee injury — Dana White suspects a torn ACL — shifting the conversation from his 69-second loss to whether he can ever headline again. Away from Vegas the matchmakers got busy: bookings landed for UFC BJJ 11 and Noche UFC, the heavyweight champion signaled a return, and the lightweight division's contenders openly jockeyed for Justin Gaethje.

McGregor faces ACL fears and doubts over his headliner future

A day after his 69-second loss to Max Holloway, the picture around Conor McGregor darkened: Dana White said he suspects a torn ACL, the second straight main event McGregor has lost to a leg injury. McGregor insisted on X he had no pre-existing issue ("My head gasket is gone"), and coach John Kavanagh confirmed the knee buckled on the very first kick of a switch kick drilled daily in camp. Chael Sonnen argued the UFC can no longer main-event him, noting McGregor is now 1-4 over his last five fights. Islam Makhachev ("Conor beat Conor") and Terence Crawford piled on.

Why it matters: The sport's biggest draw may be finished as a headliner, and with no signature win since 2020 the UFC loses its most bankable pay-per-view name.

Aspinall says he's healthy and eyeing a Paris return against Gane

Heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall says he's ready to fight again and has told the UFC as much, floating the Sept. 5 UFC Paris card as a target. Aspinall has been out since his UFC 321 title defense against Ciryl Gane in October was ruled a no-contest after a double eye poke. Gane has since won an interim belt again by knocking out Alex Pereira, setting up a rematch — though Aspinall's relationship with Dana White remains frosty after he brought in boxing promoter Eddie Hearn as an advisor.

Why it matters: The undisputed heavyweight title has been frozen for the better part of a year; Aspinall naming a date is the first concrete step toward unifying it against Gane.

Bryce Mitchell to fight BJJ champ Musumeci in first-of-its-kind grappling clash

Bryce Mitchell will become the first active UFC fighter to face a UFC BJJ champion, meeting Mikey Musumeci in the UFC BJJ 11 headliner on Sept. 24. The match is at featherweight, so Musumeci moves up from bantamweight and his belt is not on the line. Musumeci is unbeaten under the banner with three heel hooks and a foot lock in four appearances, while "Thug Nasty" went 1-1-1 in recent grappling bouts, including a draw with Jean Silva. Mason Fowler defends his light heavyweight title against Nicky Rod in the co-main.

Why it matters: It's the clearest sign yet the UFC intends to blur its MMA and submission-grappling rosters, giving Mitchell a marquee showcase against an elite grappler.

Moreno returns against TUF 33 winner Morales at Noche UFC

Former two-time flyweight champion Brandon Moreno is booked to face "The Ultimate Fighter 33" winner Joseph Morales at Noche UFC on Sept. 12 at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona. Moreno (23-10-2) is trying to snap a two-fight skid after losses to Tatsuro Taira and Lone'er Kavanagh, while Morales (14-2) is 2-0 in his second UFC stint. The card also features a women's flyweight eliminator between Alexa Grasso and Manon Fiorot.

Why it matters: A former champ on the slide against a hungry TUF winner is a near must-win for Moreno's fading title hopes, and it stocks up the UFC's marquee Mexican-heritage card.

Lightweight contenders swarm Gaethje as Oliveira spams for his shot

With Justin Gaethje sitting on the lightweight title and non-committal about his future, the contenders wasted no time. Charles Oliveira flooded the UFC 329 post-fight press conference feed with "Charles vs Justin," leaning on his 2022 first-round submission of Gaethje and his March BMF win over Max Holloway. Holloway, meanwhile, is chasing a rematch of his UFC 300 buzzer-beater KO, and Paddy Pimblett called out the entire top of the division after sleeping Benoit Saint-Denis.

Why it matters: Gaethje has a genuine logjam of credible challengers — Oliveira, Holloway, Tsarukyan, Topuria and Pimblett — but no booking yet, and his own uncertainty leaves the division in limbo.

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