​International Fight Week has consistently stood as one of the UFC’s premier events each year, and UFC 329 appears poised to continue that tradition. Conor McGregor is returning, and while the exact form of the former two-division champion in a long-awaited rematch against Max Holloway remains uncertain, the matchup alone is enough to generate enormous buzz. Beyond that, the main card features a slate of interesting and relevant bouts. Paddy Pimblett injects even more personality into the lineup against Benoit Saint-Denis, bantamweight contenders Cory Sandhagen and Mario Bautista renew their long-overdue rivalry, and top flyweight prospect Lone’er Kavanagh aims to push into title contention against Brandon Royval. Adding Terrance McKinney, who appears to be one of the UFC’s surest bets for an action-packed fight, this event already looks set to be a standout moment of 2026.
Welterweights
Odds: Holloway (-225), McGregor (+185)
McGregor makes his return, though the exact implications inside the cage are harder to gauge than ever. It’s impossible to overstate the impact McGregor had on the sport during the mid-2010s; his bold, outspoken persona set the template for countless imitators, and his ability to back up his words with decisive finishes amplified that effect. McGregor’s ascent culminated spectacularly at the end of 2015 when he sensationally knocked out the all-time great Jose Aldo in just 13 seconds to become the UFC featherweight champion. At that moment, he seemed untouchable, which only intensified the shock of his subsequent fight.
His next appearance after Aldo was initially scheduled as a quick turnaround against then-lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos, but instead became a late-notice grudge match with Nate Diaz. McGregor pressed hard but faded late, allowing Diaz to pull off a historic upset. Yet that setback turned into a boon, fueling a comeback narrative that propelled McGregor to new heights: a rematch with Diaz that drew massive attention, a lightweight title victory over Eddie Alvarez at Madison Square Garden, and a crossover boxing showdown with Floyd Mayweather. That boxing match arguably elevated McGregor beyond the UFC, to the extent that the promotion recalibrated its entire business model to prevent another fighter from wielding comparable leverage. Even so, McGregor remains a powerful marquee draw, and the two parties continue to collaborate when it’s financially advantageous—even though McGregor has won only once in the last decade.
Since a one-sided defeat to Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2018 closed the UFC’s lightweight title line, McGregor has largely functioned as a special attraction who nonetheless looms large over the division for SEO and branding purposes.