The rumors have finally been put to rest as Conor McGregor’s long-awaited UFC return is now official. For more than five years, MMA fans questioned whether the former two-division champion would ever compete inside the Octagon again after suffering a devastating leg break against Dustin Poirier in their trilogy bout at UFC 264. His absence from the upcoming White House card only added more uncertainty surrounding his future.
However, Dana White officially confirmed that the Irishman will return to headline UFC 329 against Max Holloway in a welterweight rematch. The announcement came Saturday night during the UFC Vegas 117 broadcast, coinciding with former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou’s ring walk on Netflix’s Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano fight card.
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McGregor and Holloway first met back in 2013, when the Irishman defeated the future featherweight champion early in his UFC run. Now, more than a decade later, the two fan favorites are set to clash once again in the main event of International Fight Week at T-Mobile Arena on July 11. As previously noted, McGregor has not competed since his loss to Poirier in 2021.
Although he was scheduled to make his comeback against Michael Chandler at UFC 303 in 2024, the fight fell apart after McGregor suffered a broken toe just weeks before the event. Following that setback, there appeared to be little indication that McGregor was seriously preparing for another return. But with the promotion moving forward with the highly anticipated Freedom 250 card, the former champion reportedly found fresh motivation to get back into training and return to fighting shape.
Even though he ultimately did not land a spot on that event, International Fight Week presents an even bigger stage for one of the UFC’s biggest stars to make his comeback. As stated already, Holloway and McGregor first shared the Octagon in 2013 in a featherweight clash that now feels like a different era of the sport. Both fighters entered the bout dealing with adversity.
Holloway was battling an ankle injury, while McGregor famously tore his ACL during the fight, an injury that later required surgery and a lengthy recovery. Despite the significance of that matchup, the two stars have never crossed paths again inside the cage. Following his loss to McGregor, Holloway went on one of the most impressive runs in UFC history, winning 13 straight fights while capturing and defending the featherweight title twice.
Over the years, the Hawaiian has cemented a Hall of Fame-worthy legacy and later moved up to lightweight, where he currently holds a 1-1 record. His latest outing came at UFC 326, where he lost the BMF title to Charles Oliveira. McGregor, meanwhile, has struggled to rediscover the dominance that once made him the face of the sport, dropping three of his last four fights. His most recent appearance came against Poirier at UFC 264 in 2021, a contest that ended in horrific fashion after the Irishman suffered a gruesome leg break.
Outside the cage, McGregor’s career has also faced turbulence. In October, he received an 18-month suspension under the UFC’s anti-doping policy, retroactive to September 20, 2024, making him officially eligible to compete again on March 20. Beyond that, several lawsuits and legal matters outside the Octagon further complicated his road back to competition. Now, with his return finally official, fans will once again get the chance to watch one of the biggest stars in MMA history step back into the spotlight.
The current UFC 329 lineup is as follows:
Main Card
- Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway
- Benoit Saint Denis vs. Paddy Pimblett
- Cory Sandhagen vs. Mario Bautista
- Brandon Royval vs. Lone’er Kavanagh
- Gable Steveson vs. Elisha Ellison
Prelims
- Robert Whittaker vs. Nikita Krylov
- Luke Riley vs. Kai Kamaka III
- Damian Pinas vs. Cesar Almeida
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.