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Conor McGregor faces a formidable challenge as he prepares for his much-anticipated return to the UFC octagon on July 11 at UFC 329. The former two-division champion, now 37, will take on Max Holloway in a welterweight bout, marking 13 years since their first meeting when McGregor edged out a narrow points victory over the Hawaiian fighter.
McGregor has been absent from competition since 2021, when a broken leg forced him out in the first round of his fight against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264. His last win inside the cage dates back six years to a swift 40-second knockout of Donald Cerrone. A planned matchup with Michael Chandler two years ago was canceled due to injury, adding to the long layoff.
UFC icon Daniel Cormier has weighed in on McGregor’s prospects, acknowledging the challenge the Irishman faces returning after such an extended break. Speaking on the “Weighing In” podcast, Cormier noted, “I don’t know with the injuries and the time away and the weight gains and now the weight loss… even if he is more motivated than ever, is that enough to beat a Max Holloway?”
Cormier emphasized the difficulty of maintaining peak performance without consistent competition. “You don’t get better at something by not doing it. You can train as hard as you want, but at the end of the day, it’s still been about five years since he was last in an octagon.”
Among the MMA community, opinions are mixed. While many fans eagerly await McGregor’s return, some experts question whether he remains at his prime. Former welterweight and middleweight champion Georges St-Pierre expressed concern that McGregor may have passed his peak.
“You need to recreate that environment and that level of discomfort you will face,” St-Pierre told MMA Junkie. “If you stay in your comfort zone during training, it’s not good. It’s important to bring in guys who make you uncomfortable-fighters you don’t know, who can throw you off.”
St-Pierre acknowledged the significance of McGregor’s return, saying, “He comes back for big things, and he doesn’t come back for small things. If I were in Conor’s camp, I would say, ‘Strap in because it’s a hell of a fight.’
But he can do it. It’s going to be interesting.”
Still, the former champion admitted a bittersweet sentiment: “It would break my heart to see him come back and not be as good as he was or close to what he was. That’s heartbreaking.”
As the countdown to UFC 329 continues, all eyes will be on McGregor as he attempts to recapture the form that made him one of the sport’s most electrifying stars. Whether his focus and motivation will be enough to overcome both time and a tough opponent remains to be seen.