​The moment has arrived. In the wake of his July 2021 leg-break at UFC 264, McGregor signaled that he intended to come back stronger than ever. Yet the path from injury to instant glory proved to be a long and arduous one, stretching from weeks to months and ultimately to years. A serious comeback against Michael Chandler was planned for three years later, but a last-second broken toe collapsed the booking and, with it, the entire matchup.
Two years on, McGregor is ready to roll again and is set to face his former rival Max Holloway in the main event of UFC 329, scheduled for this weekend (July 11, 2026) in Las Vegas, Nevada. Even now, fight fans cling to a mixture of hope and skepticism, declaring, “I’ll believe it when he’s in the cage!” Before any such disaster can strike again, here is a thorough timeline leading up to McGregor’s return at UFC 329.
Disaster struck when Conor McGregor pulled out of UFC 303, postponing his bout with Chandler indefinitely (which would later be canceled altogether). In his place, Alex Pereira vs. Jiri Prochazka was announced as the new UFC 303 main event. McGregor’s fury grew as Michael Chandler agreed to fight Charles Oliveira while McGregor remained sidelined and unable to secure a UFC return. Dana White offered a bleak, if not entirely unfounded, prognosis for McGregor’s future, predicting he would not compete for at least a year, a stance that fed growing whispers that the UFC was shelving the Irish star.
McGregor also faced a civil setback when he lost a sexual assault lawsuit and was deemed liable, facing damages estimated at more than £248,000. On the competitive front, McGregor returned to the drug-testing pool, reopening a path to a possible return as early as January 2026. Initially excited by the prospect of performing at a UFC White House event, he was ultimately passed over for the appearance.
Simultaneously, McGregor received 18-month suspension from the Combat Sports Anti-Doping agency after multiple “Whereabouts Failures.” Although he never actually tested positive for a banned substance, his inconsistent travel schedule and missed tests led to the suspension. As discussions about a comeback intensified, McGregor began receiving offers, including at least one that was somewhat disparaging toward him. A couple of days later, Carlos Prates floated the idea of him as a potential opponent, though Prates would later contend that McGregor backed out of the matchup.
This era marks the first time McGregor publicly weighed in on the BMF showdown between Charles Oliveira and Max Holloway in their anticipated rematch, insisting he would “mop the floor” with either man. He also argued that forcing the two to cut weight would strip the bout of its BMF essence.
With the suspension finally behind him, McGregor’s return attracted renewed attention and speculation, and the stage was set for a high-stakes comeback. The arc of his journey, marked by injuries, delays, lawsuits, testing suspensions, and relentless public interest, culminates in the expected return at UFC 329, where he is slated to square off against Max Holloway.