​UFC president Dana White has claimed that if Conor McGregor can win at UFC 329, it would represent the greatest comeback in the history of combat sports. McGregor returns to the Octagon on Saturday to face a longtime rival, Max Holloway, in the event’s main bout. This fight marks McGregor’s highly anticipated return to competition for the first time since July 10, 2021, when he suffered a broken leg in a TKO loss to Dustin Poirier. The five-year absence is among the longest in UFC history, and facing Holloway, a fighter known for his relentless competition, only heightens the challenge. Yet White believes that if McGregor emerges victorious, he will sit atop the pantheon of the most remarkable comebacks across all combat sports.
In an interview with TNT Fight Sports before UFC 329, White asserted that McGregor’s victory would mark the greatest comeback of all time, spanning boxing and MMA alike. “100%. Ever. In any combat sport,” White stated. He went further, suggesting that McGregor’s triumph could surpass even Muhammad Ali’s legendary return to boxing after a three-year layoff between 1967 and 1970. “I mean, even Muhammad Ali, after a three-year layoff, didn’t look the same when he came back. Every fighter who has taken significant layoffs doesn’t look the same upon return. And Conor’s is five years. And Max Holloway has been active fighting absolute killers his entire career,” White explained.
While McGregor’s five-year layoff ranks among the sport’s longest, history has seen other substantial gaps. In September 2014, UFC Hall of Famer Dominick Cruz returned after a three-year layoff to defeat Takeya Mizugaki by TKO in the first round. In July 2016, Brock Lesnar came back after nearly a five-year absence to defeat Mark Hunt by decision at UFC 200, though that result was later overturned to a No Contest. In November 2017, UFC legend George St-Pierre returned after a four-year hiatus and defeated Michael Bisping to win the UFC middleweight title. In March 2023, UFC GOAT Jon Jones returned after three years away to defeat Ciryl Gane and claim the UFC heavyweight title. There have also been longer layoffs that ended in losses, such as Nick Diaz’s six-year break ending in September 2021, when he was stopped by Robbie Lawler at UFC 266.
Regardless of how those other bouts turned out or their relative significance, McGregor’s decision to return to the Octagon after such a long absence deserves commendation. With substantial wealth and options available, he could easily have retired quietly, but instead he chose to pursue a high-stakes comeback. The big question for fans and analysts alike is whether he can convert that comeback into a triumph this Saturday against Holloway, making UFC 329 one of the most compelling and talked-about events in 2026.
As fans tune in to what promises to be a highly anticipated showdown, the outcome could redefine how comebacks are judged in combat sports, and White’s bold assertion underscores the magnitude of McGregor’s return. The stage is set for what could be one of the sport’s most storied resurgences, with the potential to rewrite legacy and redefine resilience in the face of years away from the cage.