Conor McGregor Priced as Longshot Underdog for Max Holloway Comeback Fight
Having been out of the cage for five years, there’s a great sense of anticipation about what Conor McGregor will bring to UFC 329.
The Irishman will tackle Max Holloway on July 11 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. It’s a rematch, of sorts, of their 2013 fight – a nod to the remarkable longevity of Holloway, who is still ranked as the fourth-best lightweight in the UFC today.
And it’s a bout that poses more questions than answers…
Known Unknowns
Given his lack of competitive action, it’s perhaps no surprise that McGregor has been installed as the longshot underdog in the BB Gold betting at 2.2/1, with Holloway’s activity – and class – ensuring he’s the strong favourite at odds of 1/3.
It’s hard to make any sort of prediction about McGregor’s chances. Despite turning his back on MMA five years ago, the 37-year-old has remained in fantastic shape and, you suspect, is still hitting the gym hard.
Of course, there’s no substitute for competitive action, so McGregor will need to be pushing himself into choppy waters in training and in sparring.
The latter part of his career was symbolised by defeat, with that galling loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov followed by a pair of heavy TKO stoppages against Dustin Poirier.
Whether time away from the Octagon has sharpened McGregor’s focus remains to be seen. There’s a possibility that there’s a financial impetus for his comeback – the fact that he will headline UFC 329 after five years away is testament to the Irishman’s box-office power, but this is a proud fighting man who will not want to taste defeat once again.
Thank you for all the love, support, and encouragement over the last few days, people! ❤️
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) May 21, 2026
I am feeling very energised entering intense training camp because of it! 💪
I am very grateful for the team I have around me. My coaches and training partners, we are all fully tuned in… pic.twitter.com/VoyLOuNvX6
“I am better than ever, and I relish the opportunity to once again show my mastery in martial arts to the world,” he has commented.
We’ll all find out on July 11 if there’s any truth to those words…
Back to the Grind
It’s customary for MMA fighters at the elite level to have one, maybe two fights a year.
So Holloway is taking a huge risk in tackling McGregor in the sense that this will be his second fight in the space of just four months.
His first was that gruelling decision defeat to Charles Oliveira in March at UFC 326. That went the full distance of five rounds, with Holloway eating 110 strikes – 50 of those considered to be ‘significant’.
Oliveira also had control of the fight for more than 20 minutes, meaning that Holloway exerted a significant amount of energy in fending off strikes and submission attempts.
The highest of highs and the lowest of lows. Saturday night was not my night. Sorry to all my family, friends and fans that I have let down. Shout out to Olivera for doing his thing. All class so nothing but love to him. No excuses from this side and there never will be. I’ve… pic.twitter.com/rldqR1cq76
— Max Holloway (@BlessedMMA) March 10, 2026
That helps to explain the risk that the 34-year-old is taking on by fighting McGregor in July, with the scrap also being his debut at the welterweight limit.
He may be the younger man and the taller man too, which should help Holloway to be a more ‘natural’ shape at 170lb, but the punishment taken against Oliveira should not be underestimated.
The decision to enter the Octagon again so soon has to be considered a calculated, financially orientated risk. And with nobody having any real clue as to what standard McGregor will reach after so long out of the sport, it really would be a fool’s errand to predict how their bout will play out.
And that’s what makes it so intriguing for fight fans…
