​LAS VEGAS — A sizable segment of the MMA faithful believes Conor McGregor is headed for a rough return to the cage, but his opponent, Max Holloway, couldn’t disagree with that narrative more. After a five-year hiatus, McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) will step back inside the octagon to face Holloway (27-9 MMA, 23-9 UFC), whom he defeated back in 2013. The bout is a five-round affair at 170 pounds and serves as the main event of UFC 329 at the T-Mobile Arena.
From the moment the betting odds opened, they crept in Holloway’s favor, signaling waning confidence in the Irishman. McGregor hasn’t fought in half a decade, suffered a brutal leg injury in his last appearance, and has not always lived the most athlete-friendly lifestyle, as he’s openly shown on social media. In contrast, Holloway has fought frequently and secured big wins along the way, including a stunning knockout of Justin Gaethje at UFC 300.
Yet, even with those considerations, Holloway can’t shake the idea that this will be an easy night. “I mean, that’s crazy talk. A lot of these people and fans are counting Conor out, which is crazy,” Holloway said during UFC 329 media day on Wednesday. “A lot of people counted Justin Gaethje out (vs. Ilia Topuria). This is a different situation, right? This guy has unlimited money, he has a lot of connections, he’s coming off a crazy injury, he supposedly found God, his kids are going to be here at the fight. I saw him with Tim Grover; I don’t know if that’s the coach now. He’s doing all the right things. I’m getting ready for the most dangerous Conor McGregor we ever saw, and nobody is telling me otherwise because once you start overlooking people, things don’t go too well for you.”
There was plenty of debate about whether McGregor would ever step back into the cage. He is wealthy, he built a remarkable legacy as a two-division UFC champion, and he endured a serious health scare with his leg injury in 2021. Yet here he is, returning to competition, a fact Holloway respects and views as a sign of the danger McGregor still poses.
“He’s an animal. He’s a warrior,” Holloway said. “Nothing but respect. There’s a saying I grew up hearing, or at least a boxing promoter who said it in a documentary I watched: ‘Why the hell would a rich kid fight? Rich kids don’t need to fight. Poor kids fight.’ To see that he still has that fighter’s fire, that drive, that desire, it’s exciting.”