HD Downloaders
Conor McGregor signed on as a global brand ambassador for 1xBet on July 2, 2026, days before his long-awaited UFC return. That return has since happened, and the aftermath has turned out to be more eventful than the fight itself. At UFC 329 on July 11, McGregor's comeback against Max Holloway lasted 69 seconds before a knee injury forced a stoppage, and McGregor has since publicly disputed the result and called for bettors to be refunded. Here's what's actually confirmed about the ambassador deal, the fight, the ongoing dispute, and what it means for fans across Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia.
What Is the Conor McGregor and 1xBet Partnership?
1xBet confirmed McGregor as its new global brand ambassador in a statement published on July 2, 2026, welcoming him to the role as he prepared for his UFC comeback. The operator described it as a long-term agreement without disclosing a specific end date, and said the deal was designed to reach a global audience and give its affiliate network, 1xPartners, more ways to capitalize on major UFC events. Confirmed promotional formats include McGregor fronting digital marketing campaigns, advertising and social media content for the brand - contract value, duration and any exclusivity terms have not been publicly disclosed by either party.
McGregor joins an existing roster of 1xBet ambassadors spanning multiple sports, including former footballer Roberto Carlos and Filipino basketball player Kai Sotto. He has also previously worked with other betting brands, including past ambassador roles with Parimatch and the Asia-focused operator m88.
The UFC Event Behind the Announcement
The partnership was announced ahead of UFC 329: McGregor vs. Holloway 2, held July 11, 2026 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas - a rematch of their 2013 featherweight bout, which McGregor won by decision. This was McGregor's first UFC appearance in five years. His previous fight ended in a broken leg against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021, a planned 2024 comeback against Michael Chandler was scrapped after he broke his toe in training, and his return was delayed further by an 18-month anti-doping suspension covering September 2024 to March 2026 (more on that below). UFC 329 marked the point at which all of those obstacles had finally cleared.
What Happened in McGregor's UFC Return?
The result is confirmed: Max Holloway defeated McGregor via TKO at 1:09 of round one. McGregor suffered a right knee injury attempting a jumping switch kick in the opening seconds, and the fight was stopped shortly after as he repeatedly fell attempting to continue. Dana White initially suggested a possible ACL tear based on how the injury looked, but no definitive medical diagnosis had been publicly confirmed as of this writing - independent sports-medicine commentators have floated either an ACL tear or a meniscus injury. McGregor rejected suggestions that he entered the fight already injured, stating on social media that the injury occurred suddenly during the bout itself.
Two days after the fight, McGregor confirmed he will undergo knee surgery. He stated his intention to complete rehabilitation and return for the final fight remaining on his UFC contract, which had two bouts left before the injury - that second contracted fight had reportedly been targeted for around April 2027, though McGregor has not confirmed a new timeline since the injury. He has also separately expressed interest in testing free agency once his contract obligations are fulfilled.
Why Is McGregor Asking for the UFC 329 Result to Be Changed?
Several days after the fight, McGregor posted on social media that the result should be changed to a no contest and that all losing bets should be returned - this is McGregor's personal position, not a ruling from the UFC, the Nevada State Athletic Commission, or any sportsbook. The Nevada commission, which oversaw the bout, applies the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts; under those rules a no contest generally requires an accidental injury outside normal competition, such as an illegal strike, and an injury sustained while attempting a standard fighting technique does not meet that bar. As of this writing the official result remains a TKO victory for Holloway, and no governing body has indicated it plans to change that ruling.
Will 1xBet Refund McGregor Bets?
No. Major sportsbooks that commented on the request, including BetOnline.ag, said they graded the fight based on the official cageside result and had no plans to issue refunds - standard house rules across the industry treat an in-fight injury stoppage as a TKO, not a voided event. 1xBet has not made any public statement about McGregor's refund request or announced a McGregor-specific bet adjustment. Absent an official announcement from 1xBet, readers should not assume any refund policy applies to bets placed on the fight.
How Much Attention Did McGregor's UFC Return Generate?
Regardless of the brief in-cage action, UFC 329 generated record commercial numbers. UFC president Dana White announced a live gate of $25 million - the highest in UFC history, surpassing the previous record of $21.8 million set at UFC 306 in 2024. Paramount+ reported roughly 15.9 million viewers across the US and Latin America, with a peak of about 8.3 million concurrent streams, a record for the platform's exclusively streamed events. The fight was also described as the most-bet bout in BetMGM's history, with roughly 85% of tickets and 73% of the money wagered backing McGregor as a betting underdog. These figures reflect commercial interest tied to McGregor's name recognition; they are not confirmation of any specific 1xBet campaign performance, which has not been disclosed.
Is McGregor Still a 1xBet Ambassador?
As of this article's latest update, neither 1xBet nor McGregor has publicly announced that the ambassador agreement has been suspended, amended, or terminated following the injury. The loss and subsequent knee surgery do not automatically end a sponsorship agreement, and no source reviewed indicates a change in status. It's worth separating two things: 1xBet's ordinary social media activity referencing McGregor, which appears to be continuing, and any new promotional campaign or contract change, for which there is no confirmation either way.
Is the Partnership Relevant in Southeast Asia?
Given 1xBet's stated global ambitions, the deal's relevance is worth examining separately across Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia - three markets with different media landscapes and gambling regulations.
Indonesia
No independent Indonesian sports or business media covering the McGregor-1xBet deal specifically were identified. UFC and MMA maintain a following in Indonesia through international broadcasts and social media, but online gambling is illegal in Indonesia under national law, and readers should not interpret the existence of a localized 1xBet website or app as confirmation that its services are legally available in the country. No McGregor-specific promotion for Indonesian users has been confirmed.
Philippines
Coverage of the announcement did reach Filipino readers, appearing in outlets including Manila Times and BusinessMirror - though it largely traces back to a press release distributed through a newswire service rather than independent reporting. 1xBet's existing roster includes Filipino basketball player Kai Sotto as a separate ambassador, a confirmed, ongoing local tie for the brand, but that is distinct from any McGregor-specific bonus, promo code or advertising rollout, none of which has been confirmed for the Philippine market.
Malaysia
No independent Malaysian media coverage of the McGregor deal specifically was identified. UFC and combat sports carry a regional following across Malaysia, but online sports betting operates under significant legal restrictions in the country, and the presence of a Malaysia-facing 1xBet web page does not by itself confirm the legality or availability of its services locally. No McGregor-specific Malaysian promotion has been confirmed.
Brand-Safety Context
McGregor's off-field record includes two separate matters worth noting. In November 2024, a civil jury in Dublin found McGregor liable for sexually assaulting Nikita Hand in a 2018 incident, ordering him to pay roughly $285,000 in damages plus about $1.5 million in legal costs - a civil finding, not a criminal conviction; Irish prosecutors had previously declined to bring criminal charges. McGregor appealed, and Ireland's Court of Appeal rejected that appeal in July 2025; Ireland's Supreme Court declined to hear a further appeal in December 2025, closing off his remaining legal options. McGregor has denied the allegation and maintains the encounter was consensual.
Separately, in 2025 McGregor accepted an 18-month suspension under the UFC's anti-doping program for three "whereabouts failures" in 2024 - missed or improperly reported testing locations, not a failed drug test. The sanction ran retroactively from September 20, 2024 to March 20, 2026. Neither matter has been publicly addressed by 1xBet in connection with the ambassador deal.
Final Assessment
The 1xBet-McGregor deal landed at a moment built for maximum visibility, right before a heavily hyped comeback fight against a familiar opponent. That timing worked in the sense of generating record gate and streaming numbers, though the fight itself lasted barely over a minute, and the aftermath has centered as much on a betting dispute and an unresolved injury diagnosis as on the partnership itself. Whether the deal generates the ongoing engagement 1xBet described will likely depend on how McGregor's recovery, his no-contest campaign, and his eventual return unfold - none of which has a confirmed timeline as of this writing.
