McGregor Ranks Himself No. 1, Dismisses Khabib and Jones Before UFC 329

Q: Will this fight cement McGregor as an all-time great or confirm his long decline since his last major victory?

A win over Max Holloway would strengthen McGregor’s legacy, but it would not by itself settle the all-time-great debate; a loss would much more clearly reinforce the view that his elite years are behind him. McGregor already has a historic résumé: he was the UFC’s first simultaneous two-division champion and one of the sport’s biggest stars. But the gap between fame and legacy is the issue here. He has only one victory since 2016, has not fought in five years, never defended either UFC title, and is returning at 37 after a severe leg break. Those are serious facts weighing against the idea that one comeback win alone can erase a long period of decline. The matchup matters because Holloway is a credible measuring stick. He is one of the greatest featherweights in UFC history, and McGregor beat him once before, back in 2013. If McGregor defeats Holloway now, after the layoff and injury, it would be one of the most impressive comeback wins of his career and prove he is still capable of beating a top-level name. It would revive his standing and reopen title talk. But “cementing” all-time greatness likely requires more than that. Given the inactivity, the losses to Dustin Poirier, and the questions about how his game has aged, McGregor would probably need to follow a Holloway win with another major result—especially against a top contender or champion. So the stakes are asymmetrical: victory revives and upgrades his legacy; defeat confirms the decline narrative.

3 articles · Updated · CBS Sports · Jul 8

Conor McGregor used a Complex all-time UFC ranking to place himself at No. 1, call Khabib Nurmagomedov a fighter who has "done nothing," and argue he belongs above Jon Jones.
The remarks came days before UFC 329, where McGregor returns to headline International Fight Week in a rematch with Max Holloway at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday.
McGregor attacked Nurmagomedov's legacy despite losing to him in their grudge match, and he also left Georges St-Pierre off his list while saying Jones' boxing is weak.
The latest broadside extends McGregor's long-running feud with Nurmagomedov and adds more self-promotional heat around a comeback after five years away from MMA.