Conor McGregor is returning to the Octagon for the first time in five years, booked to headline UFC 329 on July 11 against Max Holloway in a welterweight rematch. The MMA community has been buzzing since the announcement, with McGregor’s camp doing what it does best, manufacturing belief.
McGregor has been talking about sleeping in the gym, promising martial arts mastery and telling anyone who will listen that his preparation has never been better.
The problem is, not everyone is buying his story. During a recent media roundtable breakdown of the fight, retired fighter Dustin Poirier turned McGregor’s own words against him. Poirier reminded everyone of his knockout win over the Irishman in Abu Dhabi. That loss still follows McGregor, no matter how much fans hyping his return try to ignore it.
Dustin Poirier Drops “Sleepy Mac” Line to Troll Conor McGregor
Poirier recently appeared on Paramount’s Deep Waters podcast alongside Jorge Masvidal and host Chris Weidman. When Weidman mentioned McGregor’s claim that he was “living, breathing, and sleeping in the gym,” Poirier mocked the statement.
“Speaking of sleeping,” Poirier said, “Conor McGregor, I put you to sleep in Abu Dhabi, bud! Sleepy Mac.”
Masvidal also dismissed McGregor’s training claims. Echoing his previous “smoke him like a brisket” comment, Masvidal added, “I don’t care if you sleep in a garage every day. It doesn’t make you a car.”
Poirier has a strong track record to back up his talk. He won two out of three fights against McGregor. While McGregor won their first meeting by TKO in 2014, Poirier knocked him out in Abu Dhabi at UFC 257 which was the turning point of his life. Poirier then won their third fight at UFC 264 after McGregor broke his leg.
Five-Year Layoff Is the Elephant in the Octagon
They also discussed the fight itself. Poirier noted that while McGregor keeps his punching power after a long layoff, timing and footwork usually fade. He also mentioned that Holloway has been dropped in his last three fights. Still, Poirier expects Holloway to win easily because Holloway fights multiple times a year against top opponents.
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Meanwhile, the 37-year-old McGregor is 1-3 in his last four fights. He has not won a bout since defeating Donald Cerrone in January 2020. Oddsmakers agree with this assessment. Holloway opened as a -550 favorite at BetMGM, while McGregor sits at +350. These are the longest underdog odds of McGregor’s career, with some sportsbooks placing Holloway as high as -700.
Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway Rematch Nobody Expected to Happen at 170 lbs
McGregor and Holloway first fought in August 2013 in Boston, with McGregor winning a unanimous decision. It was only his second UFC appearance. McGregor suffered a torn ACL during the fight but still managed to outwrestle Holloway for the win.
Thirteen years later, they are fighting again but at welterweight, where neither of them has spent much time in this division.
McGregor’s return was delayed further by an 18-month anti-doping suspension, which he cleared in March 2026. This combination of five years away, a drug suspension, a canceled fight with Michael Chandler, and a new weight class explains why Poirier and Masvidal pick Holloway to win.
McGregor can talk about the gym all he wants. But the man who put him to sleep in Abu Dhabi already had the last word.
