Former UFC champion Conor McGregor is set to return to the octagon for the first time in five years when he faces Max Holloway at UFC 329 in Las Vegas on July 11.
The welterweight showdown marks McGregor’s long-awaited comeback after a lengthy absence caused by injuries and controversies surrounding his career.
The 37-year-old Irish fighter has not competed since suffering a broken leg during his defeat to Dustin Poirier in 2021.
McGregor had originally been scheduled to return against Michael Chandler in 2024 but withdrew from the bout after breaking his toe just weeks before fight night.
The upcoming clash against Holloway will serve as a rematch of their 2013 featherweight encounter, which McGregor won via points decision early in both fighters’ UFC careers.
Holloway, 34, remains one of the UFC’s top fighters and has consistently competed at elite level in recent years, making him a tough comeback opponent for McGregor.
Widely regarded as one of the biggest stars in MMA history, McGregor holds a professional record of 22 wins and six losses since his debut in 2008.
He became the UFC’s first simultaneous two-division champion after capturing the featherweight title in 2015 before winning the lightweight championship in 2016.
However, McGregor’s career has also been overshadowed by multiple controversies outside the cage.
Last year, he accepted an 18-month suspension after violating the UFC’s anti-doping policy by missing three drug tests within a 12-month period.
The ban officially ended in March this year.
McGregor was also ordered in 2024 to pay damages to a woman who accused him of rape in a Dublin hotel in 2018, while additional civil legal action remains ongoing.
His past controversies also include a 2018 arrest in New York for attacking a bus carrying UFC fighters and a 2019 conviction in Ireland for assaulting a man in a pub.
Despite the setbacks, McGregor remains one of the sport’s biggest attractions due to his outspoken personality and successful fighting career.
Elsewhere on the UFC 329 card, Paddy Pimblett will face Benoit Saint-Denis following his loss to Justin Gaethje earlier this year.
British flyweight Lone’er Kavanagh is also scheduled to fight Brandon Royval, while unbeaten prospect Luke Riley takes on Kai Kamaka at featherweight.
