UFC: Conor McGregor plans to fight again, but will have surgery first following his first-round loss to Max Holloway at UFC 329 on Saturday McGregor (22-7) appeared to suffer an injury to his right knee in the opening moments of his welterweight bout against Holloway in Las Vegas. McGregor, who was making his first appearance in five years, has not disclosed the exact diagnosis of his injury, but he announced that he intends to undergo surgery and return for the final fight of his UFC contract.
“Surgery. Prehab. Return to martial arts practice. Go again,” McGregor wrote on Instagram on Monday.
“Final fight of the contract, Praise God.”
Before UFC 329, McGregor, who turns 38 on Tuesday, expressed a desire to return to regular activity.
His contractual situation with the UFC warranted monitoring even before the result Saturday.
The former two-weight champion has fought exclusively in the UFC since 2013 and rose to one of the most famous athletes in sports under that partnership.
The UFC has not publicly commented on McGregor’s situation, other than CEO Dana White stating he had five ideas for McGregor’s next opponent had he defeated Holloway.
France coach says Mbappe ready to play
SOCCER: Kylian Mbappe couldn’t be feeling any better ahead of France’s World Cup semifinal against Spain.
France’s star trained for a second consecutive day Monday, and coach Didier Deschamps says he is ready to go.
France and Spain face off Tuesday in Arlington, Texas.
“Kylian feels good,” Deschamps said. “He’s 100%, we cannot go above.”
Mbappe left France’s quarterfinal game against Morocco on Thursday in the 76th minute and was later seen with a bag of ice on his right ankle and foot. But he danced on the field with his teammates after the game.
Gonzaga men, women meet Michigan State in doubleheader
COLLEGE BASKETBALL: It’s official - the Gonzaga men’s and women’s basketball teams will meet Michigan State’s men’s and women’s teams in the Acrisure Series Dec. 19 in Palm Springs, California.
The official announcement was made Monday.
The doubleheader will feature two of college basketball’s premier brands on one of sport’s biggest December stages.
Tickets for the Dec. 19 games go on sale Wednesday at ticketmaster. com.
Tipoff times will be announced later.
• NCAA tweaking women’s basketball tourney seeding: Beginning with the upcoming 2026-27 college basketball season, the top 16 teams will be placed in the NCAA Tournament bracket in their true ranking regardless of conference affiliation.
In the past, the top four women’s teams would be placed in different regions to protect them from playing each other until the Final Four.
Now if that happens going forward, the teams would remain where their seeds should have them.
The men’s selection committee will still separate out the top four seeds in each conference and put them in different regions.
Chiefs hire assistant
HOCKEY: The Spokane Chiefs have named Parker Burgess associate head coach for the 2026-27 season.
Burgess spent last season as head coach of the Vancouver Giants.
Prior to his tie in Vancouver, the Calgary native was head coach for the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the United States Hockey League from 2022-25. Muskegon won the USHL Clark Cup title in his final season.
From staff and wire reports