Updated

Updated · MMA Junkie · Jul 9

Max Holloway Ranks Conor McGregor 4th Among UFC Featherweight Greats Before UFC 329

Updated

Updated · MMA Junkie · Jul 9

Max Holloway Ranks Conor McGregor 4th Among UFC Featherweight Greats Before UFC 329

Q: Can a win after a five-year layoff reignite Conor McGregor's quest for a third UFC title?

Yes — a win over Max Holloway at UFC 329 would immediately revive Conor McGregor’s path toward a third UFC title, but it would not make that path easy or direct. The upside is obvious. McGregor has openly said he wants a “triple crown,” and beating a respected, still-elite opponent after a five-year absence would be one of the strongest comeback statements the UFC has seen. It would also sharply change the current narrative around him, which is dominated by doubts about age, inactivity, motivation and whether he can still perform at championship level after the 2021 leg break. Because Holloway is favored, an upset would carry even more weight. But the obstacles remain substantial. This is a non-title welterweight fight, so even a victory would not automatically move McGregor into a title shot. He is returning at age 37, with only one UFC win in the last decade and a 1-3 mark in his last four UFC appearances. Long layoffs are notoriously difficult in MMA, especially after a major injury, and his recent résumé is far thinner than that of active contenders. A win would likely reopen two possible routes: staying at welterweight and chasing that belt, or dropping back to lightweight, where a marquee title fight would be easier to sell if he looks sharp. Either way, he would still need at least one more elite performance to prove this is more than a one-night comeback. So the answer is yes: a victory could reignite the chase, but it would restart the conversation, not finish it.

3 articles · Updated · MMA Junkie · Jul 9

Max Holloway said Conor McGregor ranks last among the four UFC featherweight champions he listed, placing Jose Aldo first, Alexander Volkanovski second and Ilia Topuria ahead of McGregor.
At Wednesday's UFC 329 news conference in Las Vegas, Holloway pushed back after McGregor argued he belongs in the featherweight GOAT debate, saying those judgments should come from fans and media.
Holloway's case against McGregor centered on longevity: McGregor won the interim belt, then unified the title by knocking out Aldo in 13 seconds, but was later stripped for inactivity after one reign.
The exchange adds heat before Saturday's UFC 329 main event at T-Mobile Arena, where Holloway will try to avenge his 2013 loss to McGregor.