UFC 329 Official: Conor McGregor Returns Against Max Holloway In Long-Awaited Rematch
The return of Conor McGregor is finally official.
UFC 329 heads to the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on July 11 with one of the biggest fights the promotion could make, as McGregor faces Max Holloway in a rematch 13 years in the making.
McGregor, the former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion, has not competed since suffering a broken ankle in his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021. The Irish superstar remains one of the biggest attractions in combat sports history, and his comeback immediately gives UFC 329 massive stakes and attention.
Their first meeting came back in 2013 when a young McGregor defeated Holloway by unanimous decision during his rise through the featherweight division. Since then, Holloway has built one of the greatest resumes in UFC featherweight history, capturing the title and defending it four times while later adding the symbolic BMF championship to his collection.
The rematch pairs two of the most exciting and durable strikers the UFC has ever seen. McGregor’s precision counter punching and knockout power collide with Holloway’s relentless pace, volume striking, and legendary toughness in a matchup fans have wanted to see revisited for years.
Saint Denis vs. Pimblett Headlines Co-Main
The lightweight co-main event features a pivotal clash between No. 5 ranked Benoît Saint Denis and No. 6 ranked Paddy Pimblett.
France’s Saint Denis has emerged as one of the division’s most dangerous action fighters, riding a four-fight win streak that includes two knockouts and two submissions. Three of those victories came against ranked opponents as “God of War” continues to climb toward title contention with his aggressive, high-pressure style.
Pimblett enters the matchup looking to rebound from the first loss of his UFC career after winning his first loss in eight appearances inside the Octagon. The charismatic Liverpool native remains a dangerous submission specialist with underrated striking, durability, and a willingness to engage in wild exchanges.
Sandhagen Meets Bautista At Bantamweight
At bantamweight, No. 4 ranked Cory Sandhagen faces No. 8 ranked Mario Bautista in another major divisional matchup.
Sandhagen, a former UFC title challenger, is widely regarded as one of the most creative fighters in the sport with his fluid stance-switching striking attack and innovative grappling game.
Bautista enters on the strength of victories in nine of his last 10 fights. Known for his “Embrace the Grind” mentality, Bautista combines crisp boxing with strong wrestling fundamentals and has steadily developed into a legitimate contender at 135 pounds.
Royval Faces Rising Prospect Kavanaugh
Fresh off a stunning upset victory over former UFC flyweight champion Brandon Moreno, undefeated rising prospect No. 6 Lone’er Kavanagh will take on former title challenger No.4 Brandon Royval in a high-speed flyweight showdown.
Royval remains one of the division’s most unpredictable and aggressive fighters, while Kavanagh continues to build momentum as one of the UFC’s most promising young talents.
Gable Steveson Makes UFC Debut
The card will also feature the official UFC debut of Olympic heavyweight wrestling gold medalist Gable Steveson, who faces Elisha Ellison.
Steveson arrives with enormous expectations after establishing himself as one of the most decorated wrestlers of his generation. His transition into MMA instantly becomes one of the most intriguing storylines on the card.
UFC 329 Full Card
- Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway
- Benoît Saint Denis vs. Paddy Pimblett
- Cory Sandhagen vs. Mario Bautista
- Brandon Royval vs. Lone’er Kavanagh
- Gable Steveson vs. Elisha Ellison
- Robert Whittaker vs. Nikita Krylov
- Damian Pinas vs. Cesar Almeida
- Cody Garbrandt vs. Adrian Yanez
- Ryan Gandra vs. Zachary Reese
- Cody Durden vs. Ode’ Osbourne
- Kai Kamaka III vs. Luke Riley
- Tracy Cortez vs. Wang Cong
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