Conor McGregor returns to the Octagon for the primary time in 5 years when he faces Max Holloway in a five-round welterweight fundamental occasion on Saturday evening at UFC 329, closing out Worldwide Combat Week at T-Cell Area in Las Vegas.
McGregor (22-6 MMA) has not competed since sustaining a damaged tibia towards Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021 and has confronted a number of points exterior of the UFC.
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The previous two-division champion at featherweight and light-weight was initially scheduled to return towards Michael Chandler at UFC 303 in June 2024 to conclude their Final Fighter 31 rivalry, after the present aired in 2023. Nevertheless, a McGregor toe damage pressured a postponement and the match was by no means rescheduled.
McGregor, 37, returns to the welterweight division for the primary time in six years. The Irishman is trying to re-establish himself as a title contender whereas making an attempt to defeat Holloway for the second time, following a unanimous choice victory over him in August 2013 at a UFC Combat Night time occasion in Boston in McGregor’s second UFC struggle.
Holloway (27-9 MMA) is making his official welterweight debut after a historic run at 145lb (65.5kg) and 155lb (70.5kg) during the last decade-plus.
Right here’s all it’s essential to know concerning the card.
What time do the fights begin?
The principle card is anticipated to begin at 9pm ET (01:00 GMT on Sunday), with McGregor vs Holloway more likely to make their walks to the Octagon at about 12:30am ET on Sunday (03:30 GMT).
The prelims will begin at about 7pm ET (23:00 GMT).
The place can I watch the occasion?
In the US, the occasion is being broadcast on Paramount +.
In the UK, TNT Sports activities are displaying the occasion.
For a full checklist of broadcasters around the globe, click on here.
What have McGregor and Holloway mentioned?
McGregor mentioned he’s grateful for the chance to reinvigorate his profession and has no instant plans to alter weight divisions after the Holloway rematch.
“The OG champ-champ, coming for the triple crown,” McGregor informed reporters at Thursday’s pre-fight information convention. “Appears like a hell of a narrative to me.”
Following the lack of his “BMF” title to former light-weight champion Charles Oliveira at UFC 326 in March, Holloway, 34, hopes to avenge the loss to McGregor and instantly enter the 170-pound (77kg) title image ought to he choose to not return to light-weight.
“We’re gonna discover out Saturday evening,” Holloway mentioned in response to McGregor’s declare that he received’t “lay a glove” on him.
McGregor mentioned he was not happy with Holloway’s “disrespectful” feedback about providing a possible December rematch, making certain it won’t be wanted.
In response, Holloway fired again, igniting the rivalry even additional.
“I’m drowning his a**,” Holloway mentioned.
What occurred within the first McGregor vs Holloway struggle?
McGregor defeated Holloway by way of unanimous choice (30-27, 30-27, 30-26) on August 17, 2013 at UFC Combat Night time 26 in Boston.
The struggle came about earlier than they turned international stars and was on the preliminary card that night.
McGregor’s placing proved to be an issue for Holloway early within the struggle, and he wobbled the Hawaiian with a giant uppercut within the second spherical. However the second half of the struggle largely came about on the bottom, with McGregor having fun with sufficient management to see out the win.
The Irishman suffered an injured ACL in the course of the struggle and later required surgical procedure, which saved him out of motion for 11 months.
McGregor’s final 5 fights
- Loss to Dustin Poirier by TKO (physician’s stoppage) in spherical one – July 2021
- Loss to Dustin Poirier by TKO in spherical two – January 2021
- Win over Donald Cerrone by TKO in spherical one – January 2020
- Loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov by submission in spherical 4 – October 2018
- Win over Eddie Alvarez by TKO in spherical two – November 2016
Holloway’s final 5 fights
- Loss to Charles Oliveira by unanimous choice – March 2026
- Win over Dustin Poirier by unanimous choice – July 2025
- Loss to Ilia Topuria by third-round knockout – October 2024
- Win over Justin Gaethje by fifth-round knockout – April 2024
- Win over Jung Chan-sung by third-round knockout – August 2023
What belts are at stake in McGregor vs Holloway 2?
There aren’t any belts up for grabs on this struggle.
Holloway, ranked fourth within the light-weight division, is stepping up a weight class to make his debut at welterweight.
McGregor’s lengthy layoff means he doesn’t maintain a rating in any UFC weight class.
Who’s combating within the co-main occasion?
Within the co-main occasion at light-weight, fifth-ranked Benoit Saint Denis of France faces quantity nine-ranked Paddy Pimblett of England in a crucial contender struggle to assist decide who may struggle champion Justin Gaethje within the close to future.
Saint Denis (17-3 MMA) goals to make use of his high-level grappling to stall the momentum of Pimblett (23-4 MMA), who enters the struggle in search of the highest- ranked victory of his UFC profession so far.
Within the fundamental occasion of UFC 324 in January, Pimblett fell in need of an interim title, taking a choice loss to Gaethje, who beat Ilia Topuria to develop into undisputed champion at UFC Freedom 250 in June.
Who else is combating on the primary card?
Bantamweights will characteristic in a high-stakes title eliminator as Cory Sandhagen meets Mario Bautista. Sandhagen (18-6 MMA) seems to be to safe one other title shot with a win, whereas Bautista (17-3 MMA) seeks the signature win of his profession, having received 9 of his final 10 fights.
In a struggle between two rising flyweight contenders, former title challenger Brandon Royval will check the sturdiness of England’s Lone’er Kavanagh. Royval (17-9 MMA) goals to defend his quantity 4 rating towards the fifth-ranked contender, Kavanagh (10-1 MMA), who has constructed a repute as a harmful finisher, with 5 of his wins coming by KO/TKO or submission.
Veteran light-weight King Inexperienced takes on Terrance McKinney to open the Paramount Plus fundamental card. Inexperienced (35-17, 1 NC MMA) will attempt to utilise his boxing-heavy assault towards the explosive McKinney (18-8 MMA), who has completed eight UFC victories inside the primary spherical.
Primary card:
- Conor McGregor vs Max Holloway – welterweight
- Benoit Saint-Denis vs Paddy Pimblett – light-weight
- Cory Sandhagen vs Mario Bautista – bantamweight
- Brandon Royval vs Lone’er Kavanagh – flyweight
- Bobby Inexperienced vs Terrance McKinney – light-weight
Preliminary card:
- Robert Whittaker vs Nikita Krylov – light-heavyweight
- Gable Stevenson vs Elisha Ellison – heavyweight
- Cody Garbrandt vs Adrian Yanez – bantamweight
- Luke Riley vs Kai Kamaka – featherweight
