Conor McGregor’s return to UFC is a day away, as the combat sports lightning rod completed final preparations this week for his main event bout against Max Holloway on Saturday, July 11, at UFC 329 in Las Vegas.
McGregor was once the toast of mixed martial arts, but after breaking his leg in a fight in 2021, he left the sport and hasn’t come back. Until now.
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McGregor is back in the limelight, but it remains to be seen how much this inactivity will affect him against Holloway.
“I am back for the love of the fans,” McGregor said this week at a prefight news conference.
“The fire is in my belly roaring, and it’s about to be released on Saturday night.”
But can McGregor recapture his glory days of the previous decade, when he became an icon in sports and pop culture in winning the UFC lightweight and featherweight titles? When he steps back in the octagon, he’ll be five years removed from his most recent fight. A few days after that, he’ll be 38 years old.
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McGregor has also faced legal troubles since he’s last fought, and there are questions about whether he is physically fit enough to withstand the punishment of an all-out MMA bout.
Holloway was a -225 favorite as of Friday, July 10, per DraftKings, while McGregor was at +185. The fight can be streamed on Paramount+.
“It’s great to be back, weight’s on point, body’s on point. Mind’s sharper than ever,” McGregor said. “The plan is laid set, and I’m ready to go to war.”
Holloway will have something to say about that, as the two are now fighting at welterweight 13 years after their first meeting. McGregor is still making bold statements about how he can break down Holloway, and Holloway thinks a trilogy can happen should he win.
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“I find it shows he is here for the economics of it,” McGregor said. “He must not realize the danger he is in. I forecast Holloway’s retirement on Saturday night. Not a trilogy for cash.”
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Conor McGregor’s ‘fire in my belly’ may not be enough at UFC 329
