​Few fighters are better positioned to break down the UFC 329 main event than Jose Aldo when it comes to analyzing Conor McGregor versus Max Holloway. The former UFC featherweight champion spent months preparing to face both men in the past, including two title bouts with Holloway. It’s worth noting that Aldo’s time against McGregor was brief: he lasted only 13 seconds in the octagon after a devastating left hand clipped him, ending the fight in dramatic fashion in the first round. Yet that one-sided moment doesn’t tell the full story of Aldo’s preparation or his insights into both contenders. He endured an entire training camp focused on McGregor and then went nearly 30 minutes with Holloway across their two encounters before the rematch.
“They both have tremendous qualities,” Aldo told Covers.com. “I didn’t really get to fight Conor for very long. I had two opportunities to fight Max. The first one ended with a TKO in the fourth round. My fight with Conor ended in the first round, so it was over very quickly. I didn’t really get to feel his full skill set, but he’s obviously an extremely talented fighter. I can speak more confidently about Max’s style. He’s a very intelligent fighter with excellent boxing and a great understanding of boxing. He also has a tremendous ability to read shots and absorb them. Of course, nowadays, after taking so much damage throughout his career, he’s not quite the same as he was back when I fought him. He was in his prime; you could hit him all day and he’d still be there.”
As with virtually everyone following McGregor’s career trajectory, Aldo has questions about the Irish star heading into this weekend’s bout. McGregor has been away from competitive action for five years and is nearing 38 years old. The long layoff adds an element of uncertainty about what version of McGregor will appear in the cage on Saturday night in Las Vegas. “Nobody really knows where he’s at or what kind of performance he’s going to deliver,” Aldo said of McGregor. “He could perform like a 10 out of 10, or like a five. We just don’t know. He could get it done early, land some good shots and win the fight. Or maybe he can’t find Max and starts thinking, ‘Damn, I’m in trouble,’ and ends up fighting more cautiously. Nobody knows what his performance will look like.”
Given the ambiguity surrounding McGregor, Aldo offered a clear preference for Holloway, though without declaring an overwhelming favorite. “To me, Max is the favorite,” Aldo said. “He’s active and still building his career. I can’t really judge Conor’s level because I haven’t seen him compete in a long time. I haven’t seen him inside the octagon, and I haven’t seen him training, so I don’t know where he’s at. I see Max fighting today, and he’s been putting on great performances. Conor is a complete question mark; we’ll find out on fight night.”
Aldo stressed that his assessment isn’t a sweeping prediction of advantage by Holloway alone but a reflection of current form, activity, and recent performances. Holloway’s ongoing activity gives him a tangible edge in Aldo’s view, even if the full extent of McGregor’s capabilities remains uncertain due to the layoff. It’s a reminder that in this highly charged matchup, momentum and readiness often matter as much as legacy and name recognition. Aldo’s verdict, grounded in his firsthand experience with both men, leans toward Holloway—yet it remains contingent on how McGregor returns and whether Holloway can impose his pace and boxing craft throughout the contest. The fight’s outcome, as Aldo implies, will reveal a lot about where both fighters stand after different paths of preparation and time away from the sport.