UFC 329 is approaching and Conor McGregor (blended martial arts God prepared) is again.
Assuming all goes to plan this week, McGregor will step into the Octagon for the primary time since 2001 to tackle longtime rival Max Holloway. Loads has modified since McGregor defeated Holloway 13 years in the past. championship. 12 months. weight class. By some means their paths led to this, so it feels oddly becoming that one other dance with Holloway would mark what ought to be the ultimate chapter of McGregor’s martial arts profession.
Is simply displaying up sufficient for McGregor, or does he have to recapture the magic that propelled him to unprecedented ranges of fame and fortune? MMA Combating’s Jed Methu, Damon Martin and Alexander Okay. Lee focus on the stakes of Saturday’s foremost occasion for each stars, and what else the UFC ought to see heading into the second half of 2026.
1. What does success seem like for Conor McGregor in 2026?
Meshu: Actually, it will be an enormous win for McGregor if he seems to be aggressive and never a shell of his former self. And that is not an indictment of him personally, simply an sincere evaluation of the scenario.
McGregor hasn’t fought in 5 years and hasn’t received a struggle in over six years. And the final time he fought, already displaying indicators of decline, he was then fatally injured. Not an ideal efficiency traditionally, particularly contemplating he is virtually 38 years previous.
After which the whole lot else. At his peak, McGregor was an attacking dynamo with a novel strategy and skillset. That was 10 years in the past. His offensive energy did not look the identical at 155 kilos, however now he is as much as 170 kilos. Does it look any higher? Most likely not. Even when he takes excellent care of himself (which is a giant assumption), this man has put in some effort.
For McGregor, this struggle is in regards to the finish of his contract with the UFC and the following step after incomes $500 million in superfights exterior of the promotion. it’s a means to an finish. So for him, because of this he seems to be like he has sufficient potential to promote these matches sooner or later, and hopefully not take an excessive amount of harm within the course of. Let’s have a look at if he can pull it off.
Martin: He was by no means dominated and completed inside 5 rounds.
That is an extremely low expectation, however the actuality is McGregor hasn’t fought in 5 years. He suffered devastating accidents much like these sustained by Anderson Silva and Chris Weidman (each of whom regarded the identical afterward), and he shall be 38 years previous three days after his subsequent struggle. When it comes to star energy and enchantment, McGregor nonetheless attracts giant crowds, however fights are constructed round success, and “The Infamous” hasn’t tasted a win since 2020.
Certain, McGregor may lose, make excuses for his lengthy layoff, and vow to return again higher subsequent time, and maybe his giant fan base would consider that. Nevertheless it’s changing into tougher and tougher to persuade him that there is nonetheless not even a shadow of the pound-for-pound nice who dominated two weight divisions a decade in the past. So McGregor’s success lies in taking robust fights in opposition to top-five ranked fighters like Holloway and performing effectively till the top.
Given his previous conditioning points, it is exhausting to think about McGregor wanting down the ground and slamming Holloway to finish the struggle, however even hanging out that lengthy could be thought-about a win at this stage of the struggle.
Lee: Need to break your leg in half within the first 30 seconds of a struggle? Is it too early?
That is most likely the improper query to ask right here, as my expectations for McGregor couldn’t be greater. Other than the truth that McGregor is a whole piece of trash (which I can not stress sufficient), he hasn’t received a struggle since 2020. I admit that each had good moments within the operating again battle with Dustin Poirier, however they misplaced. Twice. And let’s not act like he is spent the final 5 years dedicating himself to resting, recovering, and reinventing himself. He is mainly cramming for a check, besides that check is a blended martial arts struggle and Holloway is deciding whether or not he makes the grade or not.
Need to know what success means to McGregor now? Really strolling as much as the cage and getting one step nearer to successful the contract.
2. The place does Max Holloway go when he loses?
Whereas my outlook on McGregor is grim, there is no denying that at his finest, he is some of the thrilling knockout artists in MMA historical past. Holloway will stand with him, commerce punches and belief his reflexes and chin to get him via. However what occurs when you’ll be able to now not do this?
I had by no means seen Holloway get knocked out earlier than. It occurred. I’ve not often seen him fully incapacitated in a grapple. It simply occurred. Is it so unreasonable to assume his protection has deteriorated to the purpose the place he might be snubbed by McGregor?
Even when that occurs, Holloway’s inventory should not drop that a lot contemplating the UFC and followers will all the time love him. Nevertheless, some doorways are closed and an actual timeline is ready for a possible retirement. We have watched Holloway develop up within the cage and it felt like he was going to struggle without end. If he loses to McGregor, there shall be no finish in sight.
Meshu: A loss could be fairly devastating for Max, as a result of if it had been to occur, it would not be as a result of McGregor received by determination. After they had been each infants within the woods, McGregor had sufficient of a talent distinction in opposition to Holloway to win by determination, however these days are over. size Ever since I went. Max is a way more expert fighter than Conor, so The Infamous should depend on KOs to win.
Nevertheless, Max has one of many biggest chins in MMA historical past, and his fashion partially depends on that. Subsequently, if Max is captured after being captured by Ilia Topuria, it may imply the start of the top of “Blessing”.
Martin: That might be devastating on an entire different stage in comparison with Charles Oliveira falling in a match the place he was mainly taken down and overwhelmed for 25 minutes.
The entire the reason why expectations for McGregor are so low will probably work in opposition to Holloway, who at 34 is now not a younger champion with huge expertise. Holloway opened the struggle as a heavy favourite, and whereas the chances have narrowed, that is extra probably constructed round McGregor fandom and love of being the underdog decide than a sudden perception that the Irish celebrity can pull off an upset.
The match with McGregor is a pause for Holloway at welterweight, forcing him to return to the light-weight snake pit, the place even one loss can jeopardize his development for months, if not years. The win is large for Holloway, as he already has the perfect knockout win in UFC historical past over reigning champion Justin Gaethje. However a loss to McGregor, who was already dominated by Oliveira, would put Holloway in harmful territory, out of the blue making him the person younger contenders try to make a reputation for.
3. What are some must-see fights exterior of the primary occasion?
Martin: The present heavyweight division is terrifying. It may be the worst ever.
So, after Alex Pereira’s triumphant return to a brand new division led to complaints to the referees with out even the slightest spark of pleasure in regards to the division’s future, right here comes Olympic gold medalist and a number of NCAA champion Gable Stevenson because the final bastion of hope.
Do not get me improper, Stevenson is poised to win right here. He’ll face Elisha Ellison, a 5-2 heavyweight who was overwhelmed up by Brando Pericic in his solely Octagon look, however Steveson ought to come out victorious. The one query is how lengthy it would take him to get that highly effective end.
But when Stevenson can come out like a fireball with UFC GOAT Jon Jones in his nook and waste Ellison on one of many greatest playing cards of the 12 months, possibly he can inject slightly enthusiasm into the longer term. With Tom Aspinall clearly wholesome and able to struggle once more, a rematch with Cyril Gane scheduled for later this 12 months, and Josh Hokit additionally getting a whole lot of consideration proper now (for higher or worse), Stevenson presents a prospect in contrast to every other in UFC historical past, and that is one thing the heavyweight division desperately wants proper now.
Lee: I am glued to the King Inexperienced vs. Terrence McKinney match as a result of it has some bizarre that means and I do not know how it may play out.
Will Inexperienced’s veteran data prevail? Or will he be overrun by McKinney’s unparalleled aggressiveness? Can McKinney win a struggle that goes previous the primary spherical? Or is Inexperienced the one to discover a fast end?
Actually, it is excellent matchmaking and an effective way to begin the primary foremost card of the second half of the 12 months.
meshhu: What impressed me extra about UFC 329 was that this card wasn’t simply good, it was wonderful. Often when Conor McGregor fights, the UFC is aware of individuals pays consideration, so there is no have to stack the remainder of the cardboard. However all of this weekend’s foremost card fights are nice, and so are most of the undercard card matches.
Lonely Kavanaugh vs. Brandon Roybal ought to be thrilling, and Cory Sandhagen vs. Mario Bautista might be the perfect struggle of your complete occasion, however I will take the low-hanging fruit and go to the co-main occasion, Benoit St. Denis vs. Paddy Pimblett.
Look, we have all been exhausting on pinblets, and never with out cause. This man is an effective fighter, however he additionally has main flaws and hasn’t fought many top-ranked opponents. However the Justin Gaethje struggle, and Gaethje’s subsequent actions, imply it is time for us to rethink our hatred of “The Buddy.”
Though Pimblett nonetheless regarded unusual and susceptible within the struggle, he confirmed how robust he was and in addition confirmed a reasonably savvy understanding of fight techniques, techniques that the good Ilia Topuria had taken beforehand in opposition to Gaethje. Now he faces a person who’s significantly better bodily than him, however who exhibits clear weaknesses of his personal. Can Pimblett’s toughness and smarts result in the largest win of his profession? Or does Saint-Denis intend to proceed his present kind that appears like among the best lightweights on the planet?
It is an enchanting match, so I am actually wanting ahead to it.
