UFC Oklahoma City Start Times

• Main Card begins at 8 p.m. on Paramount+
• Preliminary Card begins at 5 p.m. on Paramount+

UFC Oklahoma City Official Results

MAIN CARD (Paramount+, 8 p.m. ET)

• Dricus Du Plessis vs. Kamaru Usman
• Jared Cannonier vs. Christian Leroy Duncan
• Chase Hooper vs. Mitch Ramirez
• Fatima Kline vs. Tabatha Ricci
• Tommy McMillen vs. Alberto Montes

PRELIMINARY CARD (Paramount+, 5 p.m. ET)

• Austin Bashi vs. Jose Delgado
• Seok-hyeon Ko vs. Jean-Paul Lebosnoyan
• Felipe Franco vs. Levi Rodrigues
• Ezra Elliot def. Damien Anderson via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
• Alden Coria def. Stewart Nicoll via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
• R.J. Harris def. Alvin Hines via TKO (punches) at 1:29, Round 1
• Dione Barbosa def. Alice Melisano via submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:04, Round 1

The Irishman faced former featherweight champion and former BMF titleholder Max Holloway in a rematch. At the sound of the bell to start the bout, McGregor rushed across the cage and leaped into the air with a jumping switch kick. He landed awkwardly on his right leg and fell to the canvas. He fell twice more, once while throwing a kick and later a punch. The referee stepped in. The fight lasted 69 seconds.

McGregor stated that he'll require surgery but will return. The 38 year-old wants to settle things with Holloway when he does but UFC CEO Dana White isn't entertaining any matchup for McGregor at the moment.

"Conor still has to have knee surgery and go through everything that he's going to have to go through," White said during an appearance on the Spinnin Backfist MMA Show. "And I understand. Listen, he's, you know, he's very unhappy with the way sh*t played out, but you're a human being. You're older. You haven't fought in five years, and your body. Listen, Father Time is undefeated. Okay?"

Even if McGregor is able to return, the Irishman will be sidelined for an extended period of time. The landscape of the sport could be drastically different when and if "The Notorious" is able to stage a comeback.

"Who the f*ck knows what's going to happen Max over the next, you know, year and what's going to happen to Conor over the next year. So, I don't even think about that type of stuff until it comes a reality," White said.

"When Conor reaches out and says, "Uh, I finished all of my physical therapy, leg's is good place. They told me I can start training full-time now." Then you start thinking about what's next. ... I'm not even thinking about any of that stuff because it's so long and so far away it doesn't matter."

On Friday, following the event's ceremonial weigh-in, the fighters faced off a final time before getting inside the octagon.

UFC Oklahoma City Fina Face-Offs

On Friday, the athletes on the fight card participated in the event's ceremonial weigh-in.

UFC Oklahoma City Ceremonial Weigh-In

On Friday, the fighters competing at the event officially weighed in. Du Plessis came in at 185.5 pounds while Usman was slightly heavier at 186.

Ain’t nothing to it 💪@DricusDuPlessis weighs in at 185.5lbs!

[ #UFCOKC | LIVE JULY 18 at 8pmET on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/JX57TgBU4t

— UFC (@ufc) July 17, 2026

The Nigerian Nightmare at middleweight 🇳🇬@Usman84kg weighs in at 186lbs!

[ #UFCOKC | LIVE JULY 18 at 8pmET on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/HEThuZ1dMw

— UFC (@ufc) July 17, 2026

UFC Oklahoma City Official Weigh-In Results

MAIN CARD (Paramount+, 8 p.m. ET)

• Dricus Du Plessis (185.5) vs. Kamaru Usman (186)
• Jared Cannonier (185) vs. Christian Leroy Duncan (185.5)
• Chase Hooper (157.5)* vs. Mitch Ramirez (155.5)
• Fatima Kline (115.5) vs. Tabatha Ricci (116)
• Tommy McMillen (145) vs. Alberto Montes (146)

PRELIMINARY CARD (Paramount+, 5 p.m. ET)

• Austin Bashi (145) vs. Jose Delgado (146)
• Seokhyeon Ko (169) vs. Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani (171)
• Felipe Franco (205) vs. Levi Rodrigues (206)
• Alden Coria (126) vs. Stewart Nicoll (126)
• R.J. Harris (262.5) vs. Alvin Hines (264)
• Dione Barbosa (125) vs. Alice Melisano (126)
• Damien Anderson (146) vs. Ezra Elliott (147.5)**

*Chase Hooper missed the lightweight limit

**EzraElliott missed the featherweight limit

The co-main event featured a lightweight match between contenders Benoit Saint Denis and Paddy Pimblett. Look back at ome of the most exciting exchanges and moments in slow motion.

UFC 329 Slow Motion Highlights

At the sound of the bell to start the bout, McGregor rushed across the cage and leaped into the air with a jumping switch kick. He landed awkwardly on his right leg and fell to the canvas. He fell twice more, once while throwing a kick and later a punch. The referee stepped in once it was obvious McGregor had suffered an injury. It's unknown what specific injury the Irishman fell victim to or the severity of it. But that will change on Thursday.

McGregor expects the results from scans to come back tomorrow. He also thinks the bout should be rules a no contest and all wagers place on the bout returned.

"A few notes

"1. I will have the results of the scan on my leg tomorrow. 2. The fight should be a no contest and all bets returned," he wrote on Instagram.

View this post on Instagram

The Irishman has spent the past five years nursing injuries and navigating personal issues, resulting in his combat sports career taking a huge hit. Finally cleared to compete, it took just 69 seconds for McGregor's triumphant return to reach its disappointing end. Questions about his future have arisen in the aftermath of the fight, and if he decides to make the walk to the cage once again, he won't be short on potential suitors.

Despite interest in a fight, Dustin Poirier isn't certain Conor McGregor will fight again.

"He's not 25 anymore," Poirier said. "He's 37. He hasn't fought in five years. Listen, I haven't seen the results of the medical scans or anything they've done, but if it's a torn ACL, after being away for five years, if it's an ACL tear, I mean, that's another year. The guy's done. He's done if he has a torn ACL."

"He's done. He's done. He's not going to be the same, but I do think he comes back. He's got one fight left on his contract. I think he makes that walk. I don't think he's going to be the same. I don't think the excitement and the expectations are going to be the same ever again."

Conor McGregor has made his intentions clear on returning to the UFC once his recovery is complete. Keen on taking the fight should it arise, Dustin Poirier threw his name into the hat as a potential return opponent for his former foe.

"I tell you what, whenever he is healed up, hit me up, Conor," Poirier continued. "I'll come back and whip you again... I would come back to whip him again."

Listen to Dustin Poirier's comments on Conor McGregor in the video below.

Britain's own Benn will travel to the United States, on enemy soil, to compete in the biggest fight of his career. 'The Destroyer' has elevated to a new level of late, first avenging his single career defeat against Chris Eubank Jr. before dominating Regis Prograis in his first bout since becoming the first big-name boxer to sign for Dana White's Zuffa Boxing promotion. Benn and Garcia will finally settle their differences in the ring after months of talk, with Garcia believing he'll be too much for the Brit and expecting himself to retain his belt after beating Mario Barrios earlier this year.

Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn was boxing's worst-kept secret, and Garcia's long-term admirer, Dana White, has now made it official. White announced all the details in a video posted on his social media accounts.

"Alright, everybody, it is official," White said. "Ryan Garcia versus Conor Benn is signed and [will be] taking place September 12, live from T-Mobile Arena here in Las Vegas."

"Garcia is the world welterweight champion. Ring Magazine's fifth-ranked welterweight in the world. He has 25 wins, and 20 of those came by knockout. And he is facing Conor Benn, who is 25-1 with 14 knockouts. His only loss is to Eubanks Jr., and he immediately avenged that loss."

"These guys have been going back and forth on social media and this fight is going to be awesome. Live on Mexican Independence Weekend, September 12, live globally on Paramount Plus and on DAZN in the UK & Ireland."

Ryan Garcia vs Conor Benn is OFFICIAL!

Live from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on September 12th on Mexican Independence Day Weekend #GarciaBenn pic.twitter.com/YSnrSMnmVq

— danawhite (@danawhite) July 15, 2026

Ryan Garcia will make the first defense of his WBC welterweight world title against Conor Benn on September 12. The matchup will take place in the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, live on Paramount+ and on DAZN in the UK and Ireland.

At UFC Baku late last month, 'Demolidor' fell to four defeats in his last five outings after suffering a unanimous decision loss to Shara Magomedov in the show's co-main event. The matchup was filled with controversy, as Magomedov was seen pulling Pereira's hair during their grappling exchanges, which was caught by Herb Dean. However, Dean refused to penalize the Russian with a point deduction, significantly altering the fight's outcome.

Should the one-point penalty have been given, the Magomedov vs. Pereira clash would have ended in a draw. Instead, the Brazilian lost 29-28 on all three judges' scorecards, subsequently leading to his release from the UFC.

The decision didn't go down well with his fellow countryman, Alex Pereira, who continued his verbal attack on Herb Dean.

"They could have sent this guy earlier, and maybe it would have been acceptable," Alex Pereira said in a post on social media. "But paying such a high price because of a refereeing mistake is impossible to accept! The UFC has already done, and continues to do, everything I ask within the organization's reach. But it's sad to see this and not be upset."

Upset with the officiating standards within the UFC of late, Alex Pereira has made a plea to fighters to speak up about errors that significantly transform not just the outcome of fights, but also the trajectory of athletes' lives away from fighting.

"Many athletes don't say anything, but tomorrow it could be you going through this kind of situation, and there will be no point in sending me a message asking for help. It's sad that not even the UFC has control over this, and because of that, our sport keeps being tarnished."

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For the first time in half a decade, fans were being treated to a McGregor fight, a star who remains the biggest name the sport has ever seen despite years of inactivity. The buildup to Saturday night was filled with excitement, a garnered excitement only possible because of one man. However, what many witnessed was the unpredictable and unforgiving nature of mixed martial arts.

It took Conor McGregor a few seconds to ruin the biggest return in sports history, courtesy of a failed flying kick. A minute later, McGregor's self-sustained injury rendered him unable to continue, forcing the referee to bring an end to proceedings.

A mixture of emotions has since flowed through those who spent money and time watching what unfolded.

What followed were claims that Conor McGregor was injured heading into the bout. The UFC broadcast team picked up an unusual step by the Irishman ahead of his entry into the octagon, and some believe that, given the magnitude of the fight, it wasn't canceled despite the UFC and others involved allegedly knowing of the injury.

As expected, Conor McGregor has shot down those rumors. But new evidence may have just answered the questions about whether McGregor was injured ahead of UFC 329.

A video has surfaced showing Conor McGregor entering the Newport Pain Management Clinic. The facility, which is located in Newport Beach, California, specializes in reducing chronic pain for its patients. Physical therapy, nerve blocks, and ketamine therapy are some of the methods used by the medical complex to relieve and eventually fix ongoing pain and discomfort for those needing medical attention.

The world of combat sports is highly demanding, and the final weeks of fight camp function as a delicate balancing act. Intense, high-volume workouts become light training, with the sole purpose of making it to the competition unscathed and in the best shape possible. While rumors point to the 37-year-old attending a pain management clinic in the weeks ahead of his return following a five-year layoff, which isn't necessarily a normal approach for most, there is no proof that McGregor was present at the facility for something relating to his knee.

Check the video out below.

🚨BREAKING🚨
Conor McGregor was seen walking into “Newport Pain Management Clinic” just 4 days before UFC 329

He is seen limping on his right leg when walking in😳

(Via The Hollywood Fix YT) pic.twitter.com/k5KCsRCRf6

— Blind Bear 🐻🕶️ (@BlindBearMedia) July 12, 2026

McGregor seemingly suffered the injury in the opening seconds of the first round. He landed awkwardly after leaping into the air with a kick at the sound of the first-round bell. He fell to the canvas. Moments later he fell again while throwing a kick. Following falling a third time after throwing a punch, the fight was eventually waived off.

Former two-time middleweight champion Israel Adesanya believes McGregor entered the UFC 329 octagon already injured.

"I have eyes. When they did the replay and he took the Crocs off, he didn't put weight on that right leg. He didn't," Adesanya said on Precision with Mighty & Izzy. "I know he was throwing it in the locker room."

"The Last Stylebender" mentioned a rumor that someone placed a $900,000 wager on Holloway 'right before the fight.' He also pointed to lip reading a conversation between Mel Gibson and Vince Vaughn before the bout.

"I have eyes. When Conor took off the Crocs, as much as much as he said afterwards, you know, 'I wasn't injured before the fight,' I saw he didn't put weight on the right leg. And that tells me something."

As McGregor warmed up in the back before making the walk to the octagon inside T-Mobile Arena, he was shown throwing kicks and the same kick that he did moments later to start the fight. He didn't appear to be injured and Adesanya admitted that there's a possibility that McGregor injured himself while warming up.

"For me, I will say I don't know. That's possible. That's plausible. He could have hurt himself in the warm-up," Adesanya said. "Who knows? But all I know is when he go to the prep point and he took his Crocs off, he wasn't standing on that leg well. And again, that could have been between that warm-up and that point."

On Monday, Cortez released a statement via social media addressing the loss and embracing the process of self growth.

"Some days you’ll win, some days you’ll lose. But that’s the price of ambition! Transformation, expanding into your potential, is painful. You have to tear down the walls of comfort, break the chains of what holds you back and bet on your self. It’s brutal. It’s violent. But it’s f*cking glorious and it’s worth it," Cortez wrote on Instagram.

"Because on the other side of that death of the old you... is who you could be.
You think becoming your best self will feel powerful. It won’t. It’ll feel like dying! Growth isn’t pretty. It’s not smooth. It’s a constant breakdown. It’s the death of your old self, on repeat..

"Just when you think you’ve gotten to where you want to be, you realise you still have so much further to go. You’ll feel lost. You’ll question everything. Growth rarely feels graceful while it’s happening. It feels like confusion. It feels like loss. It feels like the ground shifting under your feet!! Every lesson stretched your capacity. Every fracture widened your heart. Every time you chose to keep going, something stronger in you took shape. So, Stop labeling your story as good or bad. It was necessary. It was forming you. 

"I’m choosing to trust the unfolding. To trust the timing," said the 32 year-old. "I’m learning life is not happening against me. It is happening for me & im becoming exactly who you were meant to be.

"Grateful for this journey, to share the octagon with such a talented & down to earth person like Wang! Grateful for the highs & lows this sport brings! Grateful God has never let me go not just in this journey but in life. Grateful for the heart he’s blessed me with."

View this post on Instagram

McGregor landed awkwardly after leaping into the air with a kick at the sound of the first-round bell. He fell to the canvas. Moments later he fell again while throwing a kick. Following falling a third time after throwing a punch, the fight was eventually waived off.

The conspiracies ranged from McGregor entering the fight with an injury to "The Notorious" faking the injury. On Thursday, Michael Chandler defended McGregor against the online allegations.

"A lot of speculation is going on out there. A lot of people disappointed about how the fight went," Chandler said in an Instagram video posted on Monday. "A lot of conspiracy theories going on out there. I understand people are upset. I understand people are let down by this massive return that everybody wanted to see, the massive return that everybody wanted to be entertained by. We're missing the fact that we are just in a crazy sport in which we are pushing our bodies to the limits, a lot of times contorting them and taking massive amounts of force at any given moment.

"A guy like Conor, who comes out in the first three seconds, jumps across the cage, turns his body, throws a kick, lands weird, leg buckles, then throws another kick, leg buckles, throws a punch, leg buckles. And everybody's trying to figure out, 'Hey, was Conor injured prior to the fight? Did Conor just show up and hoodwink everybody, and he just showed up for a paycheck and doesn't care who he hurts in the process?'

"I would be absolutely surprised, like the most surprised person on the planet, if Conor just showed up for a paycheck, limped in there, and said, 'I don't care. I'm going to give you guys one minute, shave my head into a mohawk, show up, do the intros, and then just bow out one minute later.

""You can say what you want about Conor. Conor's mistakes are well documented, Conor's shortcomings are well documented over the past 15 years in this sport, but one thing he is not, he's not a quitter. One thing he is not is a bamboozler. He's going to make you look left when really he's doing something on the right here and there to build fights and to build storylines and to make you think and make you feel something, but he's not the type of guy who will show up to a fight injured and bow out within one minute," said Chandler.

"The UFC is not the type of organization that's going to have conversations behind closed doors and say, 'Hey, it's all good, man. We're going to get everybody hooked in on this Paramount stream, and then you're going to bounce out one minute in.' That's just not what they do. It's not how business works, but I understand the speculation, and I understand the conspiracy theories, and I understand that everybody's drawing at straws right now, looking for scouring over the internet, showing us slowing down, reversing, looking at a bunch of different angles of how Connor tripped over his shoes or he was walking into some rehab clinic, or he was walking into some hospital."

A lot of people have speculated why McGregor would employ such a high-risk, low-percentage move to start the fight. For Chandler, who has trained to face McGregor and coached opposite him on The Ultimate Fighter, the answer is easy.

"I've had a lot of people say, 'Man, why would Conor do that? He came out like an idiot, jumped across the cage, and threw a kick.' Conor always does that," said Chandler. "Every single fight, when I was training to fight him, I was expecting within the first five minutes some kind of spinning wheel kick, some type of flying knee, some type of flying Superman punch. He did the Superman punch against Cowboy Cerrone within the first five seconds. He's done multiple fights (where) he's done within the first five seconds of spinning wheel kick at the very beginning. Stalking a guy, getting him on the back foot, immediately throwing something crazy to get a guy thinking and remembering that, 'Hey, you're in the octagon with Conor McGregor, and Conor McGregor is a dominant human being.' That's what he's trying to establish at the very beginning.

"All those doubts and fears that you had leading up to this thing because I threw a bunch of venom at you in the pre-fight talks, now you're stuck in the octagon with me, and now here comes some crazy stuff. Conor always starts a fight like that. So to those who say, 'Why would he do that?' Well, he did it because he always does that."

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Mixed martial arts is unforgiving, with some of the highest highs and lowest lows in all of sports. Anything is possible once that cage door closes, and that was unfortunately on display as the UFC 329 headliner got underway on Saturday. The long-awaited comeback for McGregor was cut short when he suffered a bizarre injury just seconds into the fight.

Conor McGregor's flying roundhouse kick from the opening bell failed to hit the mark but did cause fight-ending damage. Instead of landing the kick on his opponent, McGregor missed, landed awkwardly on his right leg, and blew out his knee. The Irishman tried to continue fighting, but ultimately couldn't put much weight on his freshly injured leg, bringing the fight to an end.

As the dust settled on the underwhelming bout, questions were raised about whether 'The Notorious' entered the octagon at less than a hundred percent. The UFC broadcast team highlighted a short clip moments before Conor McGregor entered the octagon, showing the 37-year-old looking labored when removing his UFC fight kit.

The footage birthed outrage from some fans, with one stating that all involved knew the injury existed beforehand and merely used it to rig the outcome for financial gain.

Approx 87% of public bet on McGregor who was injured before the fight. HERE'S PROOF -- VEGAS and UFC Rigged it for the books and PPV cash. SHAM !! pic.twitter.com/y8IGnNlWm2

— Thomas Paine (@Thomas1774Paine) July 12, 2026

The injury accusations were quickly shut down by Conor McGregor.

McGregor took to social media to announce his devastation at how the bout unfolded, before dismissing carrying any injury into the octagon for his meeting with Max Holloway.

"My head gasket is gone. Destroyed," McGregor said in the first public comments since his defeat. "I had no injury/injuries going into the fight. I was throwing kicks, planted and jumping, all throughout camp as well as backstage before the fight. This came out of nowhere. I am beyond dark here. I can only describe it as hell."

My head gasket is gone. Destroyed. I had no injury / injuries going into the fight. I was throwing kicks, planted and jumping, all throughout camp as well as backstage before the fight. This came out of nowhere. I am beyond dark here. I can only describe it as hell.

— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) July 12, 2026

McGregor has endured a treacherous journey to get back to fighting shape and back into the octagon. With no guarantee his career would resume following his life-altering leg break and after five long years on the sidelines, the Dublin native battled trials and tribulations to force his way back into the cage.

An unsatisfying end to his first fight in half a decade followed, and retirement rumors began circulating. But instead of making excuses, the fan-favorite shared his true thoughts with his fans before revealing he will fight again once healed up.

"I was so sharp and so ready for this fight I cannot believe what has happened," McGregor continued. "The talk of me being off while walking in to the fight is nonsense."

"I was calm, ready, and confident. I am in shock what has taken place. The devil is literally staring at me right in front of my face here. I am not engaging. I will be at church tomorrow. I will overcome this. I will not be deterred. I will return."

I was so sharp and so ready for this fight I cannot believe what has happened. The talk of me being off while walking in to the fight is nonsense. I was calm, ready, and confident. I am in shock what has taken place. The devil is literally staring at me right in front of my face…

— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) July 12, 2026

Adding to Conor McGregor's claim, the UFC released footage of the superstar hitting pads in the back before making his walkout at the T-Mobile Arena.

The clip shows McGregor drilling the same kick he opened the fight with and eventually injured himself with, without issue.

Conor McGregor’s warm-up moments before walking out at #UFC329. pic.twitter.com/tLfK01Jie3

— UFC (@ufc) July 12, 2026

Dana White also weighed in on the disastrous end to UFC 329.

White believes there was no injury to McGregor leading up to the fight. The UFC CEO used the number of viewers for the faceoffs as proof that, if something were off between any of the fighters, one of the millions of spectators would have spotted it.

"Just on my accounts, the [UFC 329] faceoff that day is at 80 million views," White told reporters. "So if there was a pre-existing injury, somebody would have noticed it... I don't think there was. Anything is possible but he sure didn't look like it. And for 80 million just on my accounts, that number's got to be massive and nobody noticed anything."

Weird moment;

Dana White leaves the press conference, but then comes back to say this about Conor McGregor 🤨 #UFC329 pic.twitter.com/d2ksuvcccP

— The Scrap (@TheScrapNews) July 12, 2026

'The Notorious' spent years resting, rehabbing, and working toward a return to the octagon, the place he once called home. His prolonged hiatus began when he suffered one of the worst combat sports injuries. This severe broken leg threatened not only his career but also his quality of life following his trilogy bout with Dustin Poirier. An anti-doping suspension and fight cancellations followed, but none of that mattered when the iconic Sinéad O'Connor's song "The Foggy Dew" dropped, setting the Irishman's walkout in motion.

The world stood silent and watched as the biggest MMA fighter of all time made his way to the cage. Unfortunately, the walkout lasted longer than the fight. Just seconds into the bout, Conor McGregor suffered an injury that derailed his game plan and any chance he had of winning. Nobody could have predicted McGregor would allegedly tear his ACL in the opening moments of the fight, gifting Max Holloway a 69-second TKO victory.

Shock radiated across the MMA community, leaving fellow UFC fighters to share their views on the anticlimactic end to McGregor vs. Holloway 2.

Some fighters used the opportunity to kick McGregor while he was down.

Conor beat Conor congrats Max

— Makhachev Islam (@MAKHACHEVMMA) July 12, 2026

Told you Conor would never fight again!

— Matt Brown (@IamTheImmortal) July 12, 2026

That pinky toe again?? #UFC329

— Rafael dos Anjos (@RdosAnjosMMA) July 12, 2026

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

— Jake Paul (@jakepaul) July 12, 2026

Bro jumped 2 seconds into the fight and blew his knee???? Game speed is different than practice

— Kevin Lee MTP (@MoTownPhenom) July 12, 2026

Iron shin bone and iron knee tendon will be back

— Paulo Costa (@BorrachinhaMMA) July 12, 2026

@BlessedMMAs aura tore Connors ACL

— Mike “Beast Boy” Davis (@MikeDavisMMA) July 12, 2026

Easy work for Max tonight. Conor beat himself
#UFC329

— Diana Belbiță (@DianaBelbita) July 12, 2026

That was not part of the gameplan.

— Alan Jouban (@AlanJouban) July 12, 2026

Throughout his time in the spotlight, Conor McGregor has made himself some enemies.

The work he put in to reach the top came at a price, forcing many of his peers to root against him and rejoice each time he suffers a loss in his professional or personal life. Despite the strained relationships with other MMA fighters, many still felt sorry for the former double champ in his darkest hour.

Jokes aside, feel bad for Conor. Not the way the fight should have ended. #UFC329

— Rafael dos Anjos (@RdosAnjosMMA) July 12, 2026

Torn ACL on first kick. I know that feeling #UFC329

— Torrez Finney (@punishertorrez) July 12, 2026

Weirdly I feel bad for Conor.

— Bo Nickal (@NoBickal) July 12, 2026

Wow that’s unfortunate and very disappointing!!!

— Jamahal Hill (@JamahalH) July 12, 2026

Well… that happened.

The first strike Conor McGregor throws is a flying kick.

His planting leg gives out on impact.

Fight, over.

MMA remains the most unforgiving sport in the world.

— Kenny Florian (@kennyflorian) July 12, 2026

That’s sad man. Acl in the first 5 seconds

— LERONE MURPHY (@LeroneMurphy) July 12, 2026

Making 30 million in under a minute is a wild dream 👀! #UFC329

— Derek Brunson (@DerekBrunson) July 12, 2026

That sucks 🤦🏾‍♂️🤦🏾‍♂️🤦🏾‍♂️

— GILBERT BURNS DURINHO (@GilbertDurinho) July 12, 2026

I kinda feel bad for him 😕

— Sodiq Yusuff (@Super_Sodiq) July 12, 2026

Man… WTF. #WTF329

— Dan Hardy (@danhardymma) July 12, 2026

The two first fought 13 years ago at UFC Fight Night 26 in Boston in a featherweight bout on the preliminary card. McGregor defeated “Blessed” via unanimous decision. It was the Irishman’s second octagon appearance.

The 37 year-old former two-division champion hadn’t competed in five years. He last fought in July 2021 at UFC 264 when he lost to Dustin Poirier after suffering a gruesome leg injury.

McGregor ran across the cage and threw a kick and fell. He did it again and slipped. Holloway seized the moment and delivered a few punches before letting McGregor up. McGreglor slipped again. Hollway landed right hands standing over McGregor. Holloway let McGregor up. McGregor's leg is injured. McGregor looked to have blown out his knee in the first kick of the fight.

That's it. McGregor could not continue. The official time of the stoppage was 1:09 of the first round.

The kick that led to the ending 😢 😭 #UFC329

It just wasn't meant to be for Conor McGregor... pic.twitter.com/wXEdPnH19t

— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) July 12, 2026

Max Holloway defeats Conor McGregor by TKO in Round 1#UFC329 pic.twitter.com/52BnFWgeh2

— UFC (@ufc) July 12, 2026

The fight card featured the return of former two-division champion Conor McGregor in the main event in a rematch against former featherweight champion and BMF titleholder Max Holloway.

UFC 329 Post-Fight Press Conference Video

The two first fought 13 years ago at UFC Fight Night 26 in Boston in a featherweight bout on the preliminary card. McGregor defeated “Blessed” via unanimous decision. It was the Irishman’s second octagon appearance. He hasn’t competed in five years. The Irishman last fought in July 2021 at UFC 264 when he lost to Dustin Poirier after suffering a gruesome leg injury. 

UFC 329 Start Times

• Main card begins at 9 p.m. ET on Paramount+
• Preliminary card begins at 7 p.m. ET on Paramount+
• Early preliminary card begins at 5 p.m. ET on Paramount+

UFC 329 Official Results

MAIN CARD

• Max Holloway def. Conor McGregor via TKO (knee injury) at 1:09 , Round 1
• Paddy Pimblett def. Benoit Saint Denis via submission (d'arce choke) at 0:52, Round 1
• Mario Bautista def. Cory Sandhagen via decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Brandon Royval def. Lone’er Kavanagh via Submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:39, Round 3
• King Green def. Terrance McKinney via TKO (punches) at 4:59, Round 1

PRELIMINARY CARD

• Robert Whittaker def. Nikita Krylov via (punch) at 1:01, Round 3
• Gable Steveson def. Elisha Ellison via TKO (knees and punches) at 2:32, Round 1
• Adrian Yanez def. Cody Garbrandt via TKO (punches) at 2:47, Round 1
• Luke Riley def. Kai Kamaka III via TKO (punches and knees) at 3:03, Round 1

EARLY PRELIMS

• Wang Cong def. Tracy Cortez via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27)
• Damian Pinas def. Cesar Almeida via KO (punch) at 4:44, Round 1
• Farid Basharat def. John Garza via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
• Ryan Gandra def. Zachary Reese via TKO (punches) at 1:15, Round 1
• Alessandro Costa def. Cody Durden via Submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:19, Round 2

Saint-Denis entered the bout ranked No. 5 in the division and riding a four-fight winning streak. Those four wins were all finishes. Pimblett last fought in January, losing to current champion Justin Gaethje in an interim title bout. Ranked No. 9, Pimblett hoped to jump back in title contention with a win.

Pimblett landed first with a leg kick. Denis looked to get the fight to the ground. Pimblett quickly locked on a guillotine choke. Denis worked to escape. Pimblett switched to a d'arce choke. He tightened it down. Denis rolled and desperately tried to defend. He went to sleep. Pimblett choked Denis out. The official time of the submission finish was 0:52 of the first round.

With the win, Pimblett is back in the win column and back into title contention.

After suffering back-to-back losses in the 185-pound division, Whittaker opted to change weight classes and try his hand as a light heavyweight. Krylov wanted to show "The Reaper" that he made a bad decision.

Krylov pressed forward and looked much bigger than Whittaker. Whittaker bounced on the outside and landed a right hand followed by a left. Krylov clinched but they quickly separated. Krylov closed the distance and worked to get the fight to the ground. Whittaker eventually was takedown down but worked his way to his feet. They separated. Whittaker stepped in with a left hand. Whittaker connected with a right hand. Krylov responded with a kick to the body. Whittaker round a home with his right hand. His jab snapped Krylov's head back. Whittaker's speed gave Krylov issues. Krylov clinched but Whittaker circled free. Whittaker partially landed a head kick at the bell. MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Whittaker.

Krylov came out in the second frame throwing leg kicks. Whittaker bounced on the outside. He stepped in with a stiff jab. Krylov responded with a kick to the body. Whittaker connected with a combination. Krylov pressed forward but a was met with punches. Whittaker unloaded a combination. His right hand began landing more often. Whittaker delivered another combination. MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Whittaker.

Whittaker connected with his jab early in the third. Whittaker hurt Krylov with a right hand. He followed up with a clean right hand that forced Krylov to quit. Whittaker may have broken Krylov's jaw. The official time of the stoppage was 1:01 of the third round.

VINTAGE REAPER 😤@RobWhittakerMMA gets the RD3 victory with a vicious TKO!

[ #UFC329 is LIVE NOW on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/VZxAfgJNep

— UFC (@ufc) July 12, 2026

Olympic Gold Medalist and former multiple-time NCAA wrestling champion Gable Steveson made the walk to the cage for the first time. The 26 year-old heavyweight faced former police officer Elisha Ellison at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Steveson, who trains with former two-division champion Jon Jones and had "Bones" in his corner, came out striking. Ellison moved forward being punches. Steveson threw kicks. Stevens on looked for a takedown but Ellison threatened width a choke. Steveson clinched and delivered knees to the body. Steveson delivered teep kicks. Ellison was hit with a low blow and given time to recover.

Once the action restarted, Stevenson moved in with a left hand. Ha landed one clean. Ellison fired back with an elbow. Steveson continued to deliver teep kicks. A right hand by Steveson found a home. Steveson unloads a series of strikes crumbling Ellison to the canvas. The referee stepped in to stop it.

The official time of the TKO stoppage was 2:32 of the first round.

Made the most of his UFC debut 🙌

Gable Steveson earns the RD1 knockout at #UFC329!

[ LIVE NOW on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/Y3myqiIrZs

— UFC (@ufc) July 12, 2026

Cortez entered the bout ranked No. 8 in the division. The 32 year-old was looking to rebound from a loss in her last outing to No. 4 ranked Erin Blanchfield. She changed gyms and moved to Mexico City to prepare for Saturday's matchup.

Cong made the walk to the octagon inside T-Mobile Arena ranked No. 10 in the weight class and riding a three-fight winning streak. The Chinese rising star was hoping to build on the momentum.

Cortez pressed forward and took the fight to Cong in the early going. Cong connected with a right hand followed by a leg kick. They traded right hands. Cong delivered a calf kick that briefly knocked Cortez off her feet. Cong continued to target the legs of Cortez. Cortez stepped in the pocket with a stiff right hand. Cortez' lead leg was showing the damage. Cortez closed the distance and clinched. She briefly secured a takedown. Cong immediately got to her feet fending off a guillotine choke attempt in the process. MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Cong.

Cortez came out aggressive in the second round. She either slipped for or her leg gave out on her as she was attempting to change levels. She got to her feet and landed a clean left hand. Cong stuck to the strategy of attacking the legs of Cortez. Cong connected with a left hand. Cortez pressed forward with a combination. She looked for a takedown and Cong delivered an illegal knee that landed on the face of Cortez. The referee took a point from Cong.

Cortez pressed forward with punches when the action restarted. Cong's jab began landing frequently. Cortez snuck in a right hand. Cong responded with a right and inched forward. She continued to delivered leg kicks. MMAWeekly scored the round 9-9 with the point deduction.

Cortez' corner told her to get the fight to the ground between rounds and "elbow" her.

Cong landed a left hook followed by a calf kick to start the final frame. Cortez looked for a takedown. She clinched but was unable to get Cong to the ground. They separated and Cong landed a jab. Cong delivered another calf kick that forced Cortez to switch stances. Cortez worked to get the fight to the ground but Cong remained standing and circled free. Cortez connected with a clean right hand. Cong went to the body with a right hand. Cortez fired back but missed. Cong made her pay with a counter right. MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Cong.

The judges scored the fight for Cong via unanimous decision. The scorecards read 29-27, 29-27, and 29-27.

"On Wednesday, 20th of May, I spoke to Eugene [Bareman] face-to-face and I told him I am not coming back to CKB,” Adesanya said. “This was something a long time coming behind the scenes. We have an understanding. I won’t lie, it sucks. Not anymore. Grief comes in waves for me, for most people. I've grieved before. It comes in waves. I’ve had great days but I’ve also had days where I'm like (this sucks).

“It’s a long time coming. I want just want to get it out of the way because I want you to hear it from the horse’s mouth. No one else has spoken about it. Those who know are waiting for the ball to drop. I dropped the ball.”

Adesanya has lost four fights in a row. He believes some change will do him some good.

“It’s bittersweet. But it’s the right thing for me, especially where I’m at in my career," Adesanya said. "It’s exactly what I needed. Insanity is doing the same sh*t and expecting a different result. I think that’s it. I just don’t want to talk about it. It’s something, it sucks, I want to grieve in peace.”

The 36 year-old was part of CKB for 16 years. It's the only gym he's known throughout his professional combat sports career.

“CKB made me into the fighter that I am today. They’ve trained a lot of great fighters. Greats. Even better than myself. But me as an individual, CKB made me into the fighter that I am today.

“But also, I was one of the main pillars who put CKB on the map on the world stage. To take it to the next level where people from all over the world want to come train at CKB. I’m proud of that.”

“What I need for myself is focused, individual training,” continued Adesanya. “So, I’ve made the decision to leave CKB for my own reasons. I’ll leave it at that.”

On Friday, the fighters participated in the event's ceremonial weigh-in. Watch it live below.

UFC 329 Ceremonial Weigh-In

On Friday, McGregor and Holloway officially weighed in.

UFC 329 Main Event Weigh-In Video

The fighters competing on the fight card at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas will step on the scales to make their bouts official. The first fighter is expected to weigh in at noon ET.

Aiming to stay Blessed 😎

@BlessedMMA weighs in at 170 lbs

[ #UFC329 is LIVE July 11 | 9pmET on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/7FeJlYfUsu

— UFC (@ufc) July 10, 2026

Return of the Mac.

@TheNotoriousMMA | 170.5 lbs

[ #UFC329 is LIVE July 11 | 9pmET on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/eW8cYIcETK

— UFC (@ufc) July 10, 2026

UFC 329 Weigh-In Video

UFC 329 Official Weigh-In Results

MAIN CARD

• Conor McGregor (170.5) vs Max Holloway (170)
• Benoit Saint-Denis (156) vs Paddy Pimblett (156)
• Cory Sandhagen (135.5) vs Mario Bautista (135.5)
• Brandon Royval (125) vs Lone’er Kavanagh (126)
• King Green (155.5) vs Terrance McKinney (156)

PRELIMINARY CARD

• Robert Whittaker (205.5) vs Nikita Krylov (205.5)
• Gable Steveson (241) vs Elisha Ellison (236)
• Cody Garbrandt (136) vs Adrian Yanez (136)
• Luke Riley (146) vs Kai Kamaka III (146)
• EARLY PRELIMS
• Tracy Cortez (126) vs Wang Cong (125.5)
• Damian Pinas (185.5) vs Cesar Almeida (186)
• Farid Basharat (136) vs John Garza (135.5)
• Ryan Gandra (185.5) vs Zachary Reese (184.5)
• Alessandro Costa (126) vs Cody Durden (125.5)

UFC 329 takes place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on July 11 and features the return of former two-division champion Conor McGregor in the main event. The Irishman takes on former featherweight champion and BMF titleholder Max Holloway in a rematch. During Thursday's face-off, the two had to be separated.

UFC 329 Press Conference Face-Offs

McGregor and Holloway, along with the co-main event fighters, Paddy Pimblett and Benoit Saint-Denis, will appear at the event's pre-fight press conference on Thursday at 9 p.m. ET.

UFC 329 Pre-Fight Press Conference

"How exciting. Whether you are a fan of Conor, a fan of Max, if you dislike Conor, dislike Max, just having the Mac back is amazing. I think the whole world is talking about it," Du Plessis told Fight Forecast.

"It's been so long coming and I think there was a stage where even I thought I don't think it's ever going to happen again. He always said he would and, you know, he had to go through something in his life and, you know, fix his lifestyle and he seems to have done that."

"Stillknocks" is admittedly a fan of both McGregor and Holloway but he predicted the Irishman will get his hand raised inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday.

"I'm going with the Mac. I'm never going against him. I'm never going against Conor," Du Plessis said. "Max Holloway, massive fan. Love him. He's a great fighter and he's deserving of everything he's gotten and al the praise. But I can't go against Conor."

"Conor has that scary timing. Everybody that's fought him says that. That timing and he has that sneaky power. Everyone that fights him says when he hits you, you feel it. And it just takes one."

Cortez will enter the fight looking to rebound from a submission loss to Erin Blanchfield in her last outing in November. Coming off a loss changed the way Cortez has prepared for Cong. She's not just out to win fights, she's going in there to 'hurt these girls.'

"I would say training is a little different. I'm training with a lot more purpose. Where before I was training and not that I wasn't training hard, but I think being here is just a different level. Coming back from a defeat does make it a little different," Cortez told Stake.

"I'm definitely training extremely hard to make a statement. Extremely hard. I know putting on a great performance in this fight could mean that with two more fights I could be next for that belt. Not just winning but dominating. And I'm going in there to dominate," she said.

"Like I'm going in there to hurt these girls from here on out. I'm not just going to try to play it safe and, you know, wait till I win a round. I'm going to go in there to hurt these girls."

Cortez sees Cong as primarily a striker that throws two-punch combos and believes her wrestling is going to cause her Chinese opponent some problems.

"Everyone knows [Wang Cong] she's a great striker, but I think she's a one or two punch striker, so she's either going to throw one hard punch or two hard punches. I personally think I'm faster. I think I throw a lot more volume. And I think my wrestling is going to also change a lot of how people think the fight is going to go and play out," she said.

McGregor returns to the octagon on Saturday in the UFC 329 main event in a rematch against former featherweight champion and BMF titleholder Max Holloway. It’s been five years since “The Notorious” made the walk to the octagon.

UFC 329 takes place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on July 11 and features the return of former two-division champion Conor McGregor in the main event. McGregor takes on former featherweight champion and BMF titleholder Max Holloway in a rematch.

UFC 329 Embedded - Episode 3

Despite enjoying a fruitful 28-year fight career, winning many accolades and becoming a beloved athlete with millions of fans around the world, Poirier hasn't enjoyed the best times since retiring. The former interim UFC lightweight champion had been silently struggling with his mental health and alcohol intake over the past year, coming to a head during his viral altercation with a law enforcement officer and his subsequent arrest.

The Louisiana native has since spoken out after the video surfaced online. Instead of diverting blame, he owned up to his mistakes and attributed his actions to a growing depression post-fighting career.

"I've had bouts with depression throughout my career. It hits me hard, and that day it hit me hard, man," Poirier said during an appearance on The Diary of a CEO podcast. "It just feels like everything has its own gravity, and it's going to pull me toward a negative no matter what it is."

"A cloud in my head that I just can't get out from under. It's hard to explain to you unless you've been through it... And when it hits me, it's bad. It's bad."

It was clear Dustin Poirier had been going through a tough time away from the cage, but Sean Strickland used the moment as an excuse to attack his fellow UFC veteran. Taking to social media with one of his regular controversial takes, Strickland insisted that anybody who has amassed fame throughout their lives and has a substantial amount of money in their bank account cannot suffer from depression, telling Poirier to shut the f*** up.

"Dustin, 'I'm depressed,' bro what?" Strickland said in response to Poirier's comments. "You're rich and loved by thousands of people. You're not allowed to be depressed. What you did is got kicked off a flight and tried to fight a cop. Relax it happens to the best of us."

"I just cannot understand depression. There are kids dying of cancer going through chemo. They would give anything for one more day. But you as a grown ass rich man looks in the mirror and says I'm depressed."

"Tell me why you're sad rich man?"

The verbal onslaught continued, with Strickland labeling Poirier a selfish piece of sh*t.

"Sounds like this guy is a selfish [piece of sh*t]," Strickland continued. "Go feed a bum or something. Yes, you shouldn't complain about your life. Just a b*tch mentality."

Sean Strickland went on a rant after Dustin Poirier opened up about his depression

“You’re rich and loved by thousands of people. You’re not allowed to be depressed.

Tell me why you’re sad rich man? Sounds like this guy is a selfish POS.” pic.twitter.com/Yv4C5cwRuo

— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) July 6, 2026

But after consideration and an apparent man-to-man chat, Sean Strickland has had a change of heart. The active UFC champion is convinced that Dustin Poirier truly regrets his actions, as opposed to just clearing his name following the backlash, and believes his brand shouldn't be damaged over one mistake.

"I spoke to Dustin and he is legitimately messed up by his actions," Strickland revealed. "I thought he was just doing PR clean up [to be honest]. I guess not everyone is a piece of sh*t like me."

"So yeah I repent and I am sorry Dustin... He deserves help."

I spoke to Dustin and he is legitimately messed up by his actions

I thought he was just doing PR clean up tbh.. I guess not everyone is a POS like me lol

So yeah I repent and I am sorry Dustin.

Hope budlight does the right thing with this one. He deserves the help

— Sean Strickland (@SStricklandMMA) July 7, 2026

As he sits in a vulnerable position, news of Bud Light potentially dropping Poirier has rubbed Strickland the wrong way, who has hit out at the alcoholic beverage company over the abandonment rumors.

"Let me tell you if Bud Light drops Dustin I'm going to start drinking just to not drink Bud Light," Strickland stated. "Bud Light you have a once in a life time opportunity to repent."

Let me tell you if budlight drops Dustin Im going to start drinking just to not drink budlight

Im not saying its tranny on a can level of un-American but this would be up there..

Budlight you have a once in a life time opportunity to repent 🙏 🇺🇸 #IGBBMN

— Sean Strickland (@SStricklandMMA) July 7, 2026

The two first fought 13 years ago at UFC Fight Night 26 in Boston in a featherweight bout on the preliminary card. McGregor defeated “Blessed” via unanimous decision. It was the Irishman’s second octagon appearance.

"Confidence. Absolute confidence and excitement to do my job. Happy to be back," McGregor told ESPN MMA when asked what's going through his mind days ahead of octagon return.

McGregor has been out of action for five years. He last fought in July 2021 at UFC 264 losing to Dustin Poirier after suffering a gruesome leg injury at the end of the opening round. He had to 'dig deep' to commit to a comeback.

"You've got to dig deep and you got to prove to yourself you are what you say you are. And so that's what it sort of was for me. I was using it as motivation. It takes a lot of, you know, deep internal work to return from an injury like that and circumstances surrounding it and I just used that as motivation. Lovely. I wish for it to be that way because now I can show and on Saturday night I'm going to show," he said.

McGregor is a living icon. He's got nothing left to prove inside the cage except maybe that he's still got it. The Irishman wants to show the level of his skill set and believes Holloway is the perfect opponent to achieve that.

"Holloway's a great opponent to find me at my feet in here. I know he's planning on deep waters. It's almost a bit disrespectful. I'm not sure who he thinks he's talking about here," McGregor said.

"Prove my level. I have many things that I've taken in this camp that have been fuel to my fire," he said. "I love Max as an opponent. He's fought so many people. And he's had a very impressive body or work inside the octagon. He's for sure a future Hall of Famer. Now I get to go in and showcase my level against (him) and I'm excited for it. It's perfect for me."

The two will clash inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and Pimblett doesn't think the Frenchman is on his level.

"He's a killer, you know what I mean, but he's never fought someone like me. And I've fought people like him, so that helps me a lot," Pimblett told New York Post Sports. "We've done a lot of specific stuff obviously for the type of striking he does, the type of grappling he does and we'll be ready for him. Like, as I say, he's never fought anyone like me at all and I've fought people like him.

"He's not as good a version of Justin Gaethje on the feet. And, you know, people talk about his grappling skills, but I do think he's got grappling. Don't get me wrong, but there's levels and his jiu-jitsu and his grappling isn't on my level."

Pimblett doesn't expect the fight to go the distance. He predicted a finish will come in the first two rounds.

"I'll be shocked if this fight gets to the third round," he said. "But if it does, I'll be putting a third-round beating on him."

"I'm definitely going to win, but I either think it's going to be a fast, early finish and a Performance of the Night, or it's going to be a little bit of a war and a Fight of the Night."

McGregor returns to the octagon on Saturday in the UFC 329 main event in a rematch against former featherweight champion and BMF titleholder Max Holloway. It's been five years since "The Notorious" made the walk to the octagon.

It's been five years since the 37 year-old made the walk to the octagon and heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall expects a vintage McGregor performance at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

"I watched a couple of his interviews recently. He seems in a really good place. I know it's only an interview, but he does seem in a good place. When McGregor's on form, he's absolutely unreal. Absolutely unreal," Aspinall said on his YouTube channel.

"He's beat Max Hollway before. Max Holloway, in my opinion, really, really good fighter. One of the best ever. Didn't look great in his last fight. Did not look great against Charles Oliveira at all. He looked like, he kind of like was questioning whether he wanted to be there or not at points, but he was fighting a grappler. So, you know, when it's all striking, which it probably will be with McGregor, Max Holloway's shown some, his striking, like his striking IQ is so good. Doesn't get it much. But in the first fight, he grappled him. He might grapple him again."

The two first fought at UFC Fight Night 26 in August 2013. McGregor defeated Holloway via unanimous decision in a featherweight bout and had to use grappling to do it. The Irishman tore his ACL during the match and was forced to immediately adjust game plans.

"Neither of them are the same fighter that they were like 10 years ago. Obviously, there's been massive gaps. They've also got a lot more miles on the clock and stuff like that. I think that, yeah, Max is definitely later on in his career. Max, though, Max puts on some unbelievable performances. When we saw him fight Justin Gaethje, he was unreal. That wasn't that long ago," Aspinall said.

"He's absolutely unreal when he's on form. So, I just want to see a good fight. I'm excited to see McGregor back. I'm always excited to see Max Holloway fight. This is one to get excited about for sure."

Despite McGregor's long layoff, Aspinall predicted he'll get the job done on Saturday and believes it will happen in the first round. If McGregor's able to knock Holloway out, he'll be on the second fighter to do so.

"But like I said, I heard a couple of McGregor interviews. I was very impressed with what he was talking about and how calmed he seemed and how focused he seemed. I know it's just an interview. It doesn't really mean anything but he's up against an active guy like Max Holloway. But the thing is that power doesn't leave. Like, he just needs one shot and it can be over. So, I'm more favoring towards a McGregor win," Aspinall said.

"I think Conor McGregor round one knockout. ... I think he's going to land the big left bomber on him."

UFC 329 takes place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on July 11 and features the return of former two-division champion Conor McGregor in the main event. McGregor takes on former featherweight champion and BMF titleholder Max Holloway in a rematch.

UFC 329 Embedded - Episode 2

On June 21, Atlanta police were called to a disturbance at the airport involving Poirier. “The Diamond” was taken into custody after being aggressive with airport staff. Video of the incident later emerged revealing a drunken Poirier threatened police officers. He took responsibility for his actions but disclosed a long battle with depression and childhood trauma from growing up with an alcoholic father.

Strickland posted a video to social media reacting to Poirier's depression confession and told the Louisiana native to "shut the f*** up."

"I know this is an unpopular opinion and you have other people saying, like, 'Oh, male depression is a real thing. Dude, no it's not. No it's not," Strickland said in the video. "Especially if you're like successful and you've got family and you're rich. It's not a thing, dude.

"There are kids literally laying in bed dying of chemo right now that would do anything for one f**king more day on this planet and you're looking in the mirror saying, 'Oh, I'm sad. I'm sad.' Shut the f**k up!"

Sean Strickland says male depression isn’t a real thing 😬

“If you’re successful and you have a family and you’re rich, [depression] isn’t a thing. There are kids laying in bed dying of chemo right now, that would do anything for one more day on this planet. And you’re looking… https://t.co/cH3EsW1wyq pic.twitter.com/76WInwFEeX

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) July 6, 2026

"Tarzan' made more posts and replied to several responses reiterating his stance. He stated that Poirier isn't 'allowed' to be depressed.

"Dustin "Im depressed" bro what? Youre rich and loved by thousands of people.. Youre not allowed to be depressed... What you did is got kicked off a flight and tried to fight a cop....relax it happens to the best of us," Strickland wrote on X.

"I just cannot understand depression There are kids dying of cancer going through chemo. They would give anything for one more day But you a grown ass rich man looks in the mirror and says I'm depressed. Tell me why youre sad rich man? Lmao," he continued.

In an interview with "The Diary of a CEO," Poirier opened up about the incident and revealed that he struggles with depression.

"So, it's Father's Day. I felt good in the morning when I spent the morning with my kids. Then as I was traveling to work I felt that feeling again. It's like a cloud in my head that I just can't get out from under, so I started drinking and my emotions got the best of me. Got arrested. Did I just ruin everything I was working for? I don't know yet," Poirier said.

"I was angry at the world and I could not stop thinking about my father. He's actually homeless right not. I try to help him out and he's back out on the street. Not that anything's an excuse but I wasn't myself. And I never really spoke about it until right now but I'm back in therapy.

Poirier disclosed that his father is an alcoholic and has struggled with addiction for as long as he can remember. He attributes alcohol abuse to ruining his father's life.

"On Father's Day, I was traveling to work, and I just couldn't stop thinking about my father, and I started drinking at the airport, and that's what led to the incident," Poirier explained. "I've been going to therapy and stuff like that. Years ago, I started going to therapy and when I started feeling better, I stopped practicing everything I learned through therapy. Then I felt that feeling again – I guess you can call it depression. I just didn't feel well, and when I feel like that, I know I shouldn't drink, and I drank anyway.

"Not that my father or anything is an excuse – obviously, I did what I did. But I knew better in the moment when I'm feeling like that to drink. Alcohol has never benefited me, especially in times like that where I'm mentally not the best."

"I've had bouts with depression throughout my career. But, man, when it hits me it's bad," Poirier said. "I really messed up."

The 37 year-old former two-division champion hasn't competed in five years. He last fought in July 2021 at UFC 264 when he lost to Dustin Poirier after suffering a gruesome leg injury. It was his second consecutive loss to “The Diamond." The Irishman was scheduled to make the walk to the octagon at UFC 303 in June 2024 against Michael Chandler but a toe injury forced him out of the fight.

"The injury happened. It was very, very difficult. It was my only time to ever pull out of a fight for the Ultimate Fighting Championship and it was a very, very tough one," McGregor said on UFC 329 Countdown. "When that injury happened, I put it to myself. Now is the time where what you say to yourself behind closed doors, it's now time to act on that. You've got to put in the work on yourself. And that I have done."

"'I've been gifted this ability to walk, pursuing my craft. And for too long I disgraced that gift. And no more. So every day I count all of my stars and prayer to God that I'm able to get up and go. Keep going. Keep going. I am ecstatic with the opportunity that lays ahead of me and I look very forward to my return."

McGregor's accomplishments inside the octagon made him an icon but he believes the best may lie ahead. According to McGregor, he's currently in his 'prime.'

"I feel there's so much left for me to conquer in this game. So much more accolades, more belts, more knockouts, more records, more cash," he said. "I'm taking everything of what I have built. I can't wait. I can't wait. The fight game and the combat sports world is McGregor's world and I'm in my prime here now. So, it is on me now to go and show that and that's what I will do."

UFC 329 takes place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on July 11 and features the return of former two-division champion Conor McGregor in the main event. McGregor takes on former featherweight champion and BMF titleholder Max Holloway in a rematch.

UFC 329 Embedded - Episode 1

The UFC heavyweight rose to fame by portraying larger-than-life characters each time he is in front of a camera. Often standing out with a microphone in his hand, mostly for the wrong reasons, the 28-year-old is beginning to forge a following in the sport, and now, even without using one of his many attention-grabbing personalities, his voice is starting to carry weight.

Using his platform for something he is passionate about, Josh Hokit defended his faith following Sneako's comments. Sneako, a social media influencer who has captured the headlines several times, spoke of his perfect world, where each person on the planet becomes Muslim.

"This is the Islamic Republic of New Yorkistan," Sneako said. "Islam will be in every household, inshallah. The whole world is Muslim. Welcome to [Zohran] Mamdani's New York. You see this city, you see how it looks? Inshallah, your city will look just like this too."

The comments sparked outrage online, with many hitting back at Sneako's push for a Muslim takeover. One of those was Josh Hokit, who insisted that, while he is still alive, he would never divert from his Christian beliefs.

"Over my dead body, brudda."

This isn't the first time Sneako has offended a UFC fighter. Despite a friendly approach, the streamer's offer to spar with Sean Strickland resulted in a bloody beating. Strickland didn't hold back, catching his temporary sparring partner with several big punches and ignoring Sneako's corner throwing in the towel to continue the beatdown.

Years on from their meeting in the gym, Sean Strickland has once again sided against Sneako. Also defending his religion, Strickland applauded Josh Hokit for speaking out against the proposed global Muslim theocracy.

Check out the social media exchange below.

👏 👏 👏

— Sean Strickland (@SStricklandMMA) July 5, 2026

UFC 329 takes place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on July 11 during the fight promotion's annual International Fight Week.

UFC 329 Countdown: Full Episode

The two will rematch in the UFC 329 main event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on July 11 and neither are the same fighters they were standing across from each other at TD Garden in 2013.

McGregor hasn’t fought since UFC 264 in July 2021 when he lost to Dustin Poirier after suffering a gruesome leg injury. It was his second consecutive loss to “The Diamond” and the Irishman has been on the sidelines since. While McGregor was out, Holloway was fighting the best in the world in two different weight classes.

After the loss to McGregor, Holloway went on to win the undisputed featherweight championship. He successfully defended the belt three times. The Hawaiian also captured and defended the BMF title. In the rematch, Holloway intends to take the Irishman into the later rounds and outlast him.

"We drown him. We down him. We're going to give him an old Hawaiian style beating and drown him. We're taking him to deep waters," Holloway said on his YouTube channel. "Come Saturday night, Holloway versus McGregor 2, it's going to be fireworks, man. The 4th of July ain't nothing compared to come July 11th."

"I feel great. I feel absolutely amazing. Stellar. The work has been exceptional. No corners cut," McGregor told The MacLife. "You know, no flash. We've been quiet this camp, and we've been at work. So, that's confidence. You know, there's a lack of confidence if you need to share things or get, you know, get this ego boost. You don't need it. We'll do it on the night, so I'm excited for it. I'm excited for my team and my country."

The two first fought at UFC Fight Night 26 in August 2013. McGregor defeated Holloway via unanimous decision in a featherweight bout that night in Boston.

"Listen, there's a different thud when you fight against me. I fought once against Max Holloway years ago. I look forward to my improvements on it," said McGregor. "I love a rematch. Who doesn't love the story builds, the tension builds. The fans get excited. They've got comparisons. They've got - It's great for business. I'm all for a good rematch."

"Danger will be everywhere inside the octagon for Max. We are well aware of him in this gym, in this camp," said the Irishman.

Although, it's been five years since he last competed, McGregor expects to be in top form inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

"I won't overestimate any opponent. I'll be ready for any outcome. If it is a war or attrition, bring it," he said. "I'll be out with my paint brush, ready to put on my masterpiece."

Pimblett returns to action on July 11 in the UFC 329 co-main event against No. 5 rankedBenoit Saint Denis looking to rebound from the decision loss to "The Highlight."

"Honestly, 420 is probably the only holiday that I kind of celebrate," Robertson said on The Ariel Helwani Show. "That's the way I let my hair down."

Robertson admitted to smoking marijuana every day, before and after training sessions and during her fight camps.

"Through fight camp I do tune it down a little bit. I still do smoke all through fight camp, though. Fight week, it depends obviously on the commission, if we're allowed to or not. And if we are, I usually will smoke up to weigh-in day and then fight day I don't like to smoke," she said.

Robertson will fight for the women's strawweight title against champion Mackenzie Dern in the UFC 330 co-main event on Aug. 15 in Philadelphia. In Pennsylvania, the athletic commission allows cannabis use but prohibits athletes from competing under its influence.

"Yeah, typically that is the rule for most states is that you just can't be high walking in the cage, but you can have it in your system," said Robertson. "I don't think it's a performance enhancer. I do think it helps recovery with relaxing and things like that, but I don't see the benefits enhancing-wise."

"I started smoking when I was probably like 18, so like it's been through my whole amateur and pro career," she said. "It's been a constant."

Recreational marijuana is illegal in Pennsylvania.

"El Matador" knocked out Alexander Volkanovski to win the featherweight belt, became the first fighter to knock former featherweight champion and BMF titleholder Max Holloway out and then knocked out former lightweight titleholder Charles Oliveira to win the lightweight championship.

He entered his first title defense in the UFC Freedom 250 main event at the White House a heavy betting favorite against interim titleholder Justin Gaethje. Gaethje stopped Topuria at the conclusion of the fourth frame when Topuria's corner threw in the towel. Lightweight contender Paddy Pimblett believes Topuria is too small for the lightweight division and that it played a role in the loss.

"He's a featherweight. That's why we have weight classes. We have weight classes for a reason and that's something I've always said when people have said, 'Oh, Illia will knock you out.' No. He's a fat featherweight," Pimblett said on the MIGHTYcast.

"He thinks he's a lightweight. He's not a lightweight, lad. I'm a lightweight. He's a fat featherweight and I would take his punches all day and laugh in his face and punch him in the face and he's know about it."