Conor McGregor returns to the Octagon for the first time in five years when he faces Max Holloway in a five-round welterweight main event on Saturday night at UFC 329, closing out International Fight Week at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
McGregor (22-6 MMA) has not competed since sustaining a broken tibia against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021 and has faced several personal setbacks outside of the UFC.
The former two-division champion at featherweight and lightweight was originally scheduled to return against Michael Chandler at UFC 303 in June 2024 to conclude their Ultimate Fighter 31 rivalry after the show aired in 2023. However, a McGregor toe injury forced a postponement and the match was never rescheduled.
McGregor, 37, returns to the welterweight division for the first time in six years. The Irishman is looking to re-establish himself as a title contender while attempting to defeat Holloway for the second time, following a unanimous decision victory over him in Aug. 2013 at a UFC Fight Night event in Boston in McGregor’s second UFC fight.
McGregor said he is grateful for the opportunity to reinvigorate his career and has no immediate plans to change weight divisions after the Holloway rematch.
“The OG champ-champ, coming for the triple crown,” McGregor told reporters at Thursday’s pre-fight press conference. “Sounds like a hell of a story to me.”
Holloway (27-9 MMA) is making his official welterweight debut after a historic run at 145 and 155 pounds over the last decade-plus.
Following the loss of his “BMF” title to former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira at UFC 326 in March, Holloway, 34, hops to avenge the loss to McGregor and immediately enter the 170-pound title picture should he opt not to return to lightweight.
“We’re gonna find out Saturday night,” Holloway said in response to McGregor’s claim that he won’t “lay a glove” on him.
McGregor said he was not pleased with Holloway’s “disrespectful” comments about offering a potential December rematch, ensuring it won’t be needed.
In response, Holloway fired back, igniting the rivalry even further.
“I’m drowning his ass,” Holloway said.
In the co-main event at lightweight, fifth-ranked Benoit Saint Denis of France faces No. 9 Paddy Pimblett of England in a critical contender fight to help determine who might fight champion Justin Gaethje in the near future.
Saint Denis (17-3 MMA) aims to use his high-level grappling to stall the momentum of Pimblett (23-4 MMA), who enters the fight seeking the highest-ranked victory of his UFC career thus far. In the main event of UFC 324 in January, Pimblett fell short of an interim title, taking a decision loss to Gaethje, who beat Ilia Topuria to become undisputed champion at UFC Freedom 250 in June.
Bantamweights will feature in a high-stakes title eliminator as Cory Sandhagen meets Mario Bautista. Sandhagen (18-6 MMA) looks to secure another title shot with a win, while Bautista (17-3 MMA) seeks the signature win of his career, having won nine of his last 10 fights.
In a fight between two rising flyweight contenders, former title challenger Brandon Royval will test the durability of England’s Lone’er Kavanagh. Royval (17-9 MMA) aims to defend his No. 4 ranking against the fifth-ranked contender, Kavanagh (10-1 MMA), who has built a reputation as a dangerous finisher, with five of his wins coming by KO/TKO or submission.
Veteran lightweight King Green takes on Terrance McKinney to open the Paramount Plus main card. Green (35-17, 1 NC MMA) will try to utilize his boxing-heavy attack against the explosive McKinney (18-8 MMA), who has finished eight UFC victories inside the first round.
The main card gets underway at 9 p.m. ET on Paramount Plus.
Main card (subject to change):
–Welterweight main event: Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway (Five rounds, non-title)
–Lightweight co-main event: Benoit Saint Denis vs. Paddy Pimblett
–Bantamweight: Cory Sandhagen vs. Mario Bautista
–Flyweight: Brandon Royval vs. Lone’er Kavanagh
–Lightweight: King Green vs. Terrance McKinney
–Field Level Media
