​Conor McGregor and Max Holloway are set to settle their rivalry once again, stepping onto the stage as the two welterweight headliners for UFC 329. The ceremonial weigh-ins took place Friday evening at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, drawing a full house just one day before McGregor — UFC’s most recognizable star — returns to action for the first time since 2021. Along with Holloway and the 26 other fighters on the card, the pair faced off for their final pre-fight stare-downs and delivered their closing remarks ahead of Saturday’s showdown.
Moments earlier, McGregor had caused a stir by snatching Holloway’s sunglasses and shattering them at the press conference, setting the tone for a tense face-to-face moment that carried into Friday’s weigh-ins. Afterward, McGregor, who is returning as a former two-division champion, declared, “It’s great to be back. Thank you to all the fans here in attendance. I hope you’re ready for a blockbuster event tomorrow night. The Mac is bringing it.” Holloway, who has also moved up a weight class for this bout, shared his own resolve, emphasizing the intensity of the rematch: “I’m too ferocious, I’m too relentless. If this guy’s a missile, I’m a f***ing nuke. I’ll see you tomorrow night, baby.”
The weigh-ins continued with both fighters successfully hitting the welterweight limit for their non-title five-round contest, which will anchor the main card on International Fight Week. McGregor weighed in at 170.5 pounds, marking his first appearance in five years at that division, while Holloway checked in at 170 pounds, just a half-pound lighter and cleared to fight. Their earlier clash in 2013 was a unanimous decision victory for McGregor, a matchup that occurred early in both men’s careers, long before either reached their championship heights.
In the co-main event, a more cordial but equally anticipated exchange occurred between Paddy Pimblett and Benoît Saint Denis. The Liverpool-based fan favorite and the hard-hitting French contender stood on the scales at 156 pounds each, signaling a battle for lightweight contention that could propel either man toward a title shot or a major stepping stone toward a future marquee fight, potentially against McGregor down the line.
UFC 329: McGregor vs. Holloway 2 is scheduled to begin Saturday at 5 p.m. ET on Paramount+, featuring a 14-fight lineup. In addition to the headline bout, the event will showcase the return of former title challengers Cory Sandhagen and Brandon Royval, the 205-pound debut of former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker, the promotional bow of Olympic wrestling great Gable Steveson, and several other notable matchups.
The card at welterweight features Conor McGregor (170.5) versus Max Holloway (170); in lightweight, Benoît Saint Denis (156) vs. Paddy Pimblett (156); bantamweight hosts Cory Sandhagen (135.5) vs. Mario Bautista (135.5); flyweight sees Brandon Royval (125) against Lone’er Kavanagh (126); light heavyweight presents Robert Whittaker (205.5) versus Nikita Krylov (205.5); heavyweight pits Gable Steveson (241) against Elisha Ellison (236); bantamweight pairs Cody Garbrandt (136) with Adrian Yañez (136); and featherweight features Luke Riley (146) versus Kai Kamaka III (146), followed by a women’s flyweight matchup ensuring a full evening of action, all building toward what promises to be a blockbuster event from start to finish.