The Irish fighter will face Holloway on July 11 in Las Vegas, his first bout since 2021.
8:50 AM
Conor McGregor will return to the UFC octagon on July 11 in Las Vegas for a welterweight bout against Max Holloway at UFC 329, UFC CEO Dana White announced Saturday. The fight marks McGregor's first competition in five years, following a leg fracture sustained in a July 2021 loss to Dustin Poirier.
The 37-year-old Irish fighter was previously scheduled to return against American Michael Chandler at UFC 303 in June 2024 but withdrew two weeks before the bout after breaking his toe. McGregor will be three days shy of his 38th birthday on the night of the fight.
The bout with Holloway is a rematch of their featherweight contest in August 2013, which McGregor won by three-round decision despite a torn ACL. Holloway, a former champion, holds a record of 27-9-0, while McGregor's record stands at 22-6-0.
The fight will serve as the main event of UFC 329 during International Fight Week at the T-Mobile Arena. White did not specify the number of rounds for the welterweight bout.
McGregor, a former two-weight champion who held both the featherweight and lightweight titles, debuted with the UFC in 2013 and became the promotion's biggest star. He has remained a prominent figure in mixed martial arts despite his extended absence from competition.
Several other fighters are scheduled to compete at UFC 329. Liverpudlian Paddy Pimblett will face Frenchman Benoit Saint-Denis in his first bout since losing to Justin Gaethje in January. British flyweight Lone'er Kavanagh will take on Brandon Royval, and unbeaten featherweight Luke Riley will fight Kai Kamaka.
McGregor's return comes after a period marked by legal matters outside the octagon. In 2024, he was found liable in a civil case and ordered to pay approximately $250,000 to a woman who accused him of sexual assault in Ireland. In December 2025, another woman who accused McGregor of sexual assault during an NBA game in Miami withdrew her civil lawsuit after authorities declined to file criminal charges. Additionally, McGregor was suspended for 18 months following three missed anti-doping tests.
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