TLDR
- Conor McGregor returns to the UFC after five years following a broken leg suffered in 2021 against Dustin Poirier
- McGregor faces Max Holloway in a welterweight rematch at UFC 329 on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas
- Holloway is heavily favored after staying active while McGregor has been sidelined since his injury
- Co-main event features Paddy Pimblett looking to bounce back from his first UFC loss against Benoit Saint-Denis
- UFC 329 features a 13-fight card as part of the annual International Fight Week in Las Vegas
Sources: mmafighting.com | ufc.com | independent.co.uk
Conor McGregor will step back into the UFC octagon for the first time in five years on Saturday when he faces Max Holloway at UFC 329 in Las Vegas. The fight marks McGregor’s return after suffering a gruesome broken leg in his last bout against Dustin Poirier in July 2021.
The rematch between McGregor and Holloway comes 13 years after their first meeting in the summer of 2013, when McGregor won by decision. McGregor was 24 years old at the time and early in his UFC career, while Holloway was just 21.
McGregor’s Long Road Back
McGregor turns 38 next week and faces serious questions about his fitness and ability after such a lengthy layoff. The Irishman has not won a fight since defeating Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone at UFC 254, though that was before his injury against Poirier.
Between April 2013 and November 2016, McGregor went on a dominant run that made him the first “champ-champ” in UFC history. He claimed both the featherweight and lightweight titles during that stretch, culminating in his victory over Eddie Alvarez.
The fight will take place at welterweight, where McGregor has experience but Holloway does not. McGregor is listed as a 5/2 underdog, with Holloway heavily favored at 3/10 odds.
CONOR McGREGOR vs MAX HOLLOWAY 2
LIVE JULY 11 at 9pmET on @ParamountPlus pic.twitter.com/rklosAs6uv
— UFC (@ufc) July 4, 2026
Holloway Seeks Revenge
Holloway enters the fight on the back of a loss to Charles Oliveira in March, where he dropped a one-sided decision and lost the BMF title. The 34-year-old Hawaiian is considered one of the greatest featherweights of all time and has remained active throughout his career.
This marks Holloway’s second fight of 2026, while McGregor has not competed since the leg injury that required extensive rehabilitation. Holloway has also found success at lightweight, though he will compete at welterweight for the first time against McGregor.
The co-main event features Liverpool’s Paddy Pimblett facing France’s Benoit Saint-Denis in a lightweight bout. Pimblett is looking to bounce back from his first UFC loss, a defeat to Justin Gaethje in January that ended his nine-fight winning streak.
Saint-Denis has won four straight fights by stoppage, including victories over Beneil Dariush and Dan Hooker. The 30-year-old Frenchman holds a 9-2 record in the UFC lightweight division and has finished all 17 of his career wins.
The main card also includes a bantamweight rematch between Cory Sandhagen and Mario Bautista. Sandhagen won their first meeting, which was Bautista’s short-notice UFC debut, and is competing for the first time since his title fight loss to Merab Dvalishvili last year.
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UFC 329 takes place at T-Mobile Arena as part of the annual International Fight Week in Las Vegas. The 13-fight card features prospects, veterans, and several bouts with divisional rankings implications.
The early prelims begin at 10pm BST on Saturday, with the main card starting at 2am BST on Sunday. In the UK, the event will air on TNT Sports pay-per-view for £19.99, while US viewers can watch on Paramount+ and CBS.
Former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker faces Nikita Krylov in a light-heavyweight bout on the preliminary card. Other prelim fights include Cody Garbrandt vs Adrian Yanez at bantamweight and Tracy Cortez vs Wang Cong in women’s flyweight.
