Conor McGregor is set to return to UFC action for the first time in five years when he faces former featherweight champion Max Holloway at UFC 329 in Las Vegas.
The Irish superstar has not competed since suffering a leg fracture during his trilogy defeat against Dustin Poirier in 2021. McGregor had been scheduled to return against Michael Chandler in 2024, but the bout was cancelled after he broke his toe shortly before the event.
The fight against Holloway will mark a rematch of their 2013 featherweight encounter, which McGregor won by unanimous decision early in both fighters’ UFC careers.
Now aged 37, McGregor returns amid major anticipation and continued scrutiny over both his sporting future and off-field controversies. Despite his long absence, he remains one of the biggest draws in mixed martial arts history.
Holloway, meanwhile, enters the contest as a dangerous and active opponent. The Hawaiian star has consistently fought elite competition in recent years and remains one of the UFC’s most respected strikers and fan favourites.
McGregor became the UFC’s first simultaneous two-division champion after capturing featherweight and lightweight titles in 2015 and 2016 respectively. His famous 13-second knockout of Jose Aldo remains the fastest finish in UFC title fight history.
However, his career in recent years has been heavily disrupted by injuries, suspensions and legal controversies. McGregor accepted an 18-month anti-doping ban in 2024 after missing multiple drug tests, with the suspension ending earlier this year.
UFC 329 will also feature several notable names, including Britain’s Paddy Pimblett, who takes on France’s Benoit Saint-Denis, while British fighters Lone’er Kavanagh and Luke Riley are also scheduled to compete.
The event at the T-Mobile Arena is expected to be one of the UFC’s biggest cards of the year as McGregor attempts to revive his career after years away from the sport.
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