Conor McGregor is set to make his return to the octagon after a five-year hiatus, facing Max Holloway in a welterweight rematch at UFC 329. The event is taking place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. This main event marks McGregor’s first fight since 2021, where he experienced consecutive stoppage losses to Dustin Poirier.
McGregor, a former two-division UFC champion, previously defeated Holloway in 2013 via unanimous decision when both competed as featherweights. Since then, Holloway has established himself as a decorated featherweight champion and recently moved up to lightweight, where he secured a notable knockout against current UFC champion Justin Gaethje. Holloway’s most recent fight saw him lose his ceremonial BMF title to Charles Oliveira in March.
The main card for UFC 329 is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. ET on Paramount+, following an eight-fight preliminary card that starts at 5 p.m. ET on the same platform.
Anticipation for the Main Event
The rematch between McGregor and Holloway is a highly anticipated bout, with various figures in MMA offering their predictions. Tom Aspinall, UFC heavyweight champion, believes McGregor could secure a first-round knockout, citing McGregor’s power. However, others like Michael Bisping, the first British UFC champion, suggest that Holloway might endure the early rounds and gain an advantage as the fight progresses, given McGregor’s extended time away from competition.
Paddy Pimblett, a UFC lightweight, offered a 50/50 prediction, noting that if McGregor lands an early shot, he could win, but if the fight extends past the second round, Holloway might take over. Demetrious Johnson, a retired UFC champion, is backing Holloway, while Dricus du Plessis, UFC middleweight, remains steadfast in his support for McGregor.
Many predictions highlight the potential impact of McGregor’s inactivity versus Holloway’s consistent presence in the sport. Paul Felder, a retired UFC lightweight, predicts a late stoppage for Holloway, suggesting McGregor might fade after the initial minutes. Similarly, Benoit Saint-Denis, a UFC lightweight, believes a longer fight would favour Holloway.
The welterweight contest sees McGregor, who has won one of his last four fights and two in the past 10 years, step into the octagon against Holloway, who will be making his welterweight debut. The odds for the fight have seen Holloway as a betting favourite, ranging from -225 to -325, while McGregor is listed as an underdog from +175 to +260.
Undercard Highlights and Early Results
Beyond the main event, UFC 329 features a robust fight card. The co-main event is a lightweight clash between Benoît Saint Denis and Paddy Pimblett. Other notable bouts include Cory Sandhagen against Mario Bautista in a bantamweight fight, and Brandon Royval facing Lone’er Kavanagh in a flyweight contest.
The preliminary card also features significant matchups. Robert Whittaker is making his light heavyweight debut against Nikita Krylov, and Olympic champion Gable Steveson is making his UFC debut in a heavyweight bout against Elisha Ellison. Additional preliminary fights include Cody Garbrandt versus Adrian Yañez at bantamweight, and Luke Riley against Kai Kamaka III in a featherweight encounter.
Early results from the preliminary card include Farid Basharat defeating John Garza via unanimous decision with scores of 30-27, 30-27, and 29-28. In another early fight, Ryan Gandra secured a TKO victory over Zachary Reese at 1:15 of the first round. The event kicked off with Alessandro Costa submitting Cody Durden via rear-naked choke at 2:19 of the second round.
The event is set to continue with a full night of action on Saturday.
Read Also
Source: sports.yahoo.com
As News-UK's Sports News Writer, Oscar Pennington reports on rugby union, golf and boxing for readers across the country. He built a reputation for sharp explainer pieces on regional sport. He holds a degree in Journalism from Nottingham Trent University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Oscar lives in Nottingham, where he follows the pro golf tour and amateur boxing. “Context is what turns a result into a story.”
