​Conor McGregor has stepped into the spotlight with his best attempt at a wholesome, “good guy” persona as he approaches his highly anticipated return fight at UFC 329. But now the moment of truth has arrived, and he actually has to go out there and perform. It feels almost unreal that McGregor is at the cusp of walking to the octagon, given everything that has unfolded over the past five years. By the time he faced Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021, McGregor’s fight activity had already plummeted for a variety of reasons—his fifth UFC appearance since 2016, including a boxing match with Floyd Mayweather, marked a stark contrast to his earlier dominance. Then came the broken leg that night, a setback that ignited a long, winding layoff filled with distractions.
There was the civil suit in which McGregor was found liable for sexual assault, a controversial and highly publicized chapter in his life. There was also an ill-fated presidential bid in his homeland of Ireland that never gained real traction from its inception. The toe injury that hampered his return at UFC 303, along with the unresolved Michael Chandler feud, kept the momentum from his comeback in a perpetual limbo. Then, there was the distraction of starring in a Road House remake, among other pursuits that seemed to pull him away from the Octagon. Yet somehow, McGregor has found his way back.
He now faces a familiar foe in Max Holloway, a fighter who previously tasted defeat at the hands of a younger, pre-fame McGregor back in 2013 when both men were rising featherweights with futures ahead of them. Thirteen years on, both fighters have earned championships and added weight for this rematch—this time at welterweight. Saturday’s main event marks the second-to-last appearance on McGregor’s current contract. Win or lose, what comes next is anyone’s guess: another UFC swan song, perhaps free agency, or a transition to a different arena of competition—though a return to BKFC seems almost a certainty. McGregor, who turns 38 on Tuesday, will be watched closely to gauge not just the result but how much fuel he has left in the tank after such a protracted period away from the cage.
In the rest of the main-card lineup, lightweight contenders Benoit Saint Denis and Paddy Pimblett collide in the co-main event, Cory Sandhagen defends his bantamweight status as a gatekeeper against Mario Bautista, Brandon Royval attempts to slow down the scorching Lono’er Kavanagh in a flyweight clash, and the lightweight tilt between King Green and Terrance McKinney promises to be one of the most unpredictable bouts of the night.
What: UFC 329
Where: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas
When: Saturday, July 11. The five-fight early preliminary card begins at 5 p.m. ET, followed by a four-fight preliminary card at 7 p.m. ET. The five-fight main card starts at 9 p.m. ET, streaming live on Paramount+. Rankings noted reflect the MMA Fighting Global Rankings and Pound-for-Pound Rankings.
Like my colleague Jed Meshew, I’m finding it hard to pick a McGregor victory. The man hasn’t fought in five years, and even his last UFC showings weren’t exactly the peak of his form. The caveat, of course, is that McGregor has a track record of defying expectations and rewriting narrative arcs when the stage is set. Still, the odds and the timing suggest that winning this fight won’t come easy for him, and the wider implications of a loss could extend well beyond the result on the scorecards. In short, this is a tough, telling crossroads moment for McGregor, one that will reveal how much gas he truly has left in the tank and how ready he is to stake a claim on the next chapter of his storied career.