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Drake Loses $1 M on McGregor Upset, Curse Revived

7/12/2026

Summary

Drake Loses Bet

Drake (rapper) lost his $1 million bet on Conor McGregor after McGregor injured his knee and was TKOed by Max Holloway in Las Vegas at UFC 329.
Conor McGregor was a +185 underdog and Max Holloway a -225 favorite.
The loss revived the internet’s “Drake Curse” meme, despite Drake (rapper) earning over $1 million in 2026 by betting $770,000 on Canada to defeat South Africa in the FIFA World Cup.

Summary

McGregor Ordered Pay

A November 2024 jury found Conor McGregor civilly liable for assault and ordered him to pay €248,603 (£207,000) to Nikita Hand.
Appellate courts dismissed McGregor’s appeals in 2025, leaving the verdict unchanged.
Max Holloway entered UFC 329 after losing the UFC “BMF” title to Charles Oliveira on 7 March 2026 and a knockout to Ilia Topuria.
The bout was staged at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on 11 July 2026, with the main card starting at 2 am UK time on 12 July 2026.

Summary

McGregor Injured

The referee stopped the UFC 329 bout in the opening round after Conor McGregor injured his leg.
Max Holloway said after the loss he wants “one more time for the boys,” showing openness to a third fight with McGregor.
Drake placed a $1 million wager on Friday, the day before the Saturday-night UFC 329 event.
The fight was promoted as a marquee matchup for the Las Vegas card.

History

Historical Context

UFC 1 debuted on November 12 1993 in Denver’s McNichols Sports Arena, an eight-man, no-weight-class tournament created by Rorion Gracie and promoter Art Davie with a $50,000 prize and the first octagonal cage. Lacking state oversight, the event sparked Senator John McCain’s criticism, leading the Nevada Athletic Commission to adopt formal rules and the UFC to add weight divisions in 1997. The 2026 UFC 329 builds on that regulatory foundation.

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Drake Loses Bet

Drake (rapper) lost his $1 million bet on Conor McGregor after McGregor injured his knee and was TKOed by Max Holloway in Las Vegas at UFC 329.
Conor McGregor was a +185 underdog and Max Holloway a -225 favorite.
The loss revived the internet’s “Drake Curse” meme, despite Drake (rapper) earning over $1 million in 2026 by betting $770,000 on Canada to defeat South Africa in the FIFA World Cup.

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