MMA Analyst Reveals Only Way Conor McGregor Beats Max Holloway at UFC 329
Global fighting sensation Conor McGregor is returning to the octagon after a five-year hiatus and facing a tough challenger in Max Holloway in the UFC 329 main event.
McGregor brings a 22-6-0 record, with one of those previous wins coming against Holloway. However, that was in 2013, and Holloway is now taking on a much different McGregor, who could come into this matchup much rustier due to his time away.
According to ESPN MMA analyst Brett Okamoto, there’s really only one way he can see McGregor getting a massive win in his comeback fight.
“I do not see Conor McGregor winning by decision tonight. I think if he wins, it’s going to be by knockout, and I think he probably knows that,” Okamoto said on “SportsCenter.”
“I think the first time he fought, back in 2013, look how small they are. They were fighting at 145 pounds. Tonight’s fight is at 170 pounds. They’re not as light on their feet as they used to be. They’re also 13 years older. I think Conor McGregor is going to look for opportunities in the pocket, the one-punch knockout,” he said.
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In addition to age and McGregor being away from the UFC for five years, Okamota also mentioned his previous leg injury. McGregor suffered the injury in his third fight of the trilogy against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264, which ended via first-round TKO doctor’s stoppage due to a bone in McGregor’s leg snapping near the end of the round.
That was in 2021 and was McGregor’s second consecutive loss, with the previous one, also against Poirier, coming at UFC 257 the same year. He’s now seeking redemption in this huge comeback fight, where he could shock the world.
“I am fully, fully healed. There is a titanium rod down the knee into the ankle, and it is solid. I'm Terminator now, that is my mindset,” McGregor said on Paramount+, per Bloody Elbow.
Holloway is coming in off a loss, but it was at a more recent fight back in March against Charles Oliveira at UFC 326. He lost that fight by unanimous decision, and based on Okamoto’s prediction, McGregor can’t “out-point” Holloway if their main event should go the distance.
As of this writing, McGregor is the underdog at DraftKings Sportsbook with +230 odds to win at Saturday’s UFC 329, while Holloway is a -285 favorite for the highly anticipated fight.
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This story was originally published July 11, 2026 at 11:13 AM.