UFC 329: McGregor vs. Holloway 2

On July 11, 2026, the UFC returns to Las Vegas for one of the most anticipated nights in the promotion's history. UFC 329: McGregor vs. Holloway 2 headlines International Fight Week at T-Mobile Arena with a card that is stacked from top to bottom — a main event nearly 13 years in the making, one of the hottest names in lightweight on the co-main, an Olympic gold medalist making his Octagon debut, and championship implications running through multiple weight classes. This is the complete guide to everything you need to know.

UFC 329 Full Fight Card

McGregor's Return — Nearly Five Years in the Making

The last time Conor McGregor stepped into the octagon, it ended before the second round was over. At UFC 264 in July 2021, McGregor suffered a broken leg at the end of round one in his trilogy bout with Dustin Poirier. The injury was gruesome, the stoppage was immediate, and the timeline for his return was unknown. What followed was nearly five years of speculation, teasing, setbacks, and waiting.

McGregor has been one of the most polarising figures in sports during his absence — present on social media, visible as a TUF coach, vocal about his desire to return, but absent from competition. The wait ends on July 11. Whatever you think of McGregor the person, McGregor the fighter at his best is one of the most compelling athletes the sport has ever produced. The left hand, the movement, the ability to perform on the largest stages — UFC 329 will answer the question that the sport has been asking for five years: what is left?

He enters at welterweight — 170 pounds — a division he has never competed in professionally. It is a significant step up from the 155-pound lightweight limit where he held a world title, and a full 25 pounds above the featherweight division where he originally built his reputation. The move makes sense physically given where McGregor is in his career, but it adds a layer of uncertainty heading into the fight.

McGregor vs. Holloway — 13 Years Between Fights

Their first meeting was on August 17, 2013, at UFC Fight Night 26 in Boston — a preliminary card fight that neither man was headlining. McGregor was 25 years old and just two fights into his UFC career. Holloway was 21. Neither had a tattoo. Neither had a title. The fight was three rounds at featherweight and McGregor won a unanimous decision, largely by taking the fight to the ground and outgrappling a man who would later become one of the greatest strikers in UFC history.

What makes the rematch genuinely fascinating is how different both men are. Holloway went on to become the featherweight champion, hold the title for years, successfully defend it multiple times, and is widely considered one of the best to ever fight at 145 pounds. He is coming into this fight as the UFC's BMF champion and has arguably never been better as a fighter than he is right now. The version of Holloway that McGregor beat in 2013 — a 21-year-old with 6 professional fights — bears almost no resemblance to the fighter showing up on July 11.

McGregor also won that first fight with a torn ACL, a fact that has been widely cited in the years since. He is entering this rematch after a five-year layoff at a new weight class, against a man who is arguably a top-five pound-for-pound fighter on the planet. The stakes could not be higher on either side.

The Rest of the Card — What to Watch For

Paddy Pimblett vs. Benoît Saint Denis — Co-Main Event (Lightweight)

Paddy Pimblett is one of the most talked-about fighters in the sport and one of the few names who can match McGregor's ability to generate interest outside of hardcore MMA fans. Liverpool's Pimblett is coming off a failed interim title challenge and steps in here against Benoît Saint Denis, the French lightweight who has become one of the division's most dangerous finishers. The co-main is a legitimate fight between two ranked lightweights with real implications for the division's title picture.

Gable Steveson vs. Elisha Ellison — Heavyweight (UFC Debut)

Olympic gold medalist and two-time NCAA Division I heavyweight wrestling champion Gable Steveson makes his long-anticipated UFC debut. Steveson is 3-0 in MMA with all three wins by finish and has been one of the most hyped heavyweight prospects in years based solely on his wrestling pedigree. He faces Elisha Ellison, who carries a 5-2 record and a 100 percent finish rate in his wins. This is one of the most watched UFC debuts in recent memory — Steveson himself called it "the biggest debut on earth."

Cory Sandhagen vs. Mario Bautista — Bantamweight (Rematch)

This is the second meeting between two of the best bantamweights in the division. Sandhagen is a former title challenger and one of the most technically gifted fighters at 135 pounds. Bautista has emerged as a genuine contender. With bantamweight title implications on the line, this is the kind of fight that quietly steals the show on a card this big.

Brandon Royval vs. Lone'er Kavanagh — Flyweight

Kavanagh earned this spot with an upset win over Brandon Moreno, one of the biggest results in the flyweight division in recent memory. Royval is a former title challenger known for exciting, high-action fights. The flyweight title picture runs through this bout.

UFC International Fight Week 2026 — Full Schedule

UFC 329 is the centerpiece of the UFC's 14th annual International Fight Week, running July 9–12, 2026 across Las Vegas. Here is the full week at a glance.

The Hall of Fame ceremony on July 9 is a separately ticketed event. The 2026 class is headlined by former bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz, former flyweight champion Demetrious "Mighty Mouse" Johnson, and the Fight Wing inductee: the all-time classic Zhang Weili vs. Joanna Jędrzejczyk from UFC 248 — widely considered one of the greatest women's fights in MMA history. Hall of Fame ceremony tickets are available on SOLDOUT.COM.

UFC 329 Seating Guide — T-Mobile Arena

T-Mobile Arena converts its full floor into an octagon configuration for UFC pay-per-view cards. Every section has a direct sightline to the cage — here is how the zones break down.

Fight Night Tips — T-Mobile Arena

UFC 329 Frequently Asked Questions

Why Buy UFC 329 Tickets on SOLDOUT.COM