With less than two weeks remaining until UFC 329, Conor McGregor is finally set to make his long-awaited return to the Octagon. For more than five years, fans questioned whether the former two-division champion would ever compete again after suffering a gruesome leg fracture against Dustin Poirier in the main event of UFC 264. His absence from the historic Freedom 250 card at the White House only intensified speculation surrounding his future.
Those doubts were finally put to rest when Dana White confirmed that McGregor will headline UFC 329 against Max Holloway in a rematch 13 years in the making during International Fight Week on July 11. The bout will be contested at 170 pounds, marking Holloway’s welterweight debut and raising questions about whether McGregor can return at his best after such an extended layoff.
However, McGregor’s ring rust may not be the biggest concern heading into the fight. Although he has not competed since 2021, McGregor was originally scheduled to return against Michael Chandler at UFC 303 in 2024 before a broken toe forced him to withdraw. After that setback, there was little indication that the Irishman was actively preparing for another comeback.
Chandler ultimately waited nearly two years in hopes of securing the lucrative matchup, only for the fight to never materialize. That history has left Holloway cautiously optimistic. Despite the fight being officially booked, the former featherweight champion admitted he will only fully believe it when McGregor actually walks into the Octagon.
Speaking in a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Holloway said he was encouraged to hear McGregor sounding confident ahead of the rematch but is simply hoping the former champion follows through. He said, “Whatever gets him to the octagon Saturday night, keep telling yourself that. Just please show up Saturday night.”
Max Holloway relishes Conor McGregor’s talk before #UFC329 – as long as he backs it up.
“Whatever gets him to the octagon Saturday night, keep telling yourself that. Just please show up.”
(via @MikeBohn) pic.twitter.com/75kOuRjnj6
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) July 2, 2026
Holloway also addressed McGregor’s recent trash talk, including the Irishman’s claim that he is facing the same fighter he defeated 13 years ago. Rather than taking offense, Holloway believes the verbal exchanges are helping McGregor stay mentally locked in for the fight. As far as he’s concerned, the talking means little unless McGregor makes the walk on fight night.
He added, “Conor got the gift of gab, and he loves talking. Maybe he’s talking to get himself ready. I support it 100 percent. Me, Max ‘Blessed’ Holloway, supports this message. Keep talking. I can’t wait to see you come Saturday night. Him saying I’m not a different fighter and blah, blah, blah. It is what it is. Keep telling yourself whatever you’ve got to tell yourself. I just need him to come and show up on July 11 and get in that Octagon. Then we can find out if he’s right or wrong.”
As mentioned earlier, Holloway and McGregor first met inside the Octagon in 2013 in a featherweight bout that now feels like it belongs to a completely different era of the UFC. Both men entered that fight dealing with injuries. Holloway was nursing an ankle issue, while McGregor famously tore his ACL during the contest, an injury that later required surgery and kept him sidelined for months.
Despite the significance of that first meeting, the two have never shared the cage again. After losing to McGregor, Holloway put together one of the greatest runs in UFC history, reeling off 13 consecutive victories while capturing the featherweight title and defending it three times. He has since built a resume worthy of the UFC Hall of Fame and later moved up to lightweight, where he currently owns a 1-1 record.
His most recent appearance came at UFC 326, where he lost the BMF title to Charles Oliveira. McGregor, meanwhile, has been unable to recapture the dominance that once made him the biggest star in MMA. The former two-division champion has lost three of his last four fights, with his most recent appearance ending in a devastating leg break against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in 2021.
Now, with the rematch finally just around the corner, the excitement is undeniable, but so is the uncertainty. Given everything that has happened over the past few years, many fans are waiting until they actually see McGregor make the walk before believing the fight is happening. As it turns out, Holloway feels the same way.
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