Conor McGregor Drops New Training Pics As Potential Return Against Max Holloway At UFC 329 Heats Up
Conor McGregor appears to be taking his potential UFC return seriously.
McGregor has been teasing an imminent return to the Octagon for years, but it has repeatedly failed to materialize, to the point where fan interest has started to fade. In fact, “The Notorious” was once scheduled to face Michael Chandler at UFC 303 in June 2024, only to withdraw ahead of the event due to a toe injury, further prolonging his long-awaited comeback.
Since last year, the former two-division UFC champion has shown a strong interest in competing on the White House card and even re-entered the anti-doping testing pool. However, UFC CEO Dana White repeatedly downplayed those plans, and it was ultimately confirmed that McGregor would not be returning on June 14 when the UFC Freedom 250 lineup was announced.
But now, it appears Conor McGregor may finally have a return date in sight, as he ramps up his training with renewed intensity. The 37-year-old Irishman recently took to Instagram to share a series of photos from his latest sparring session.
What stood out even more was the fiery caption he paired with the post, seemingly firing back at doubters of his return — “Legs still sharper than a guillotine. Training with the young wolves, sharpening the blade. The return is coming whether they like it or not.”
Ariel Helwani Reports Conor McGregor vs Max Holloway 2 at UFC 329 Is Seriously Being Considered
During a recent episode of The Ariel Helwani Show, veteran MMA journalist Ariel Helwani reported that Conor McGregor could make his return against former rival Max Holloway at UFC 329, which is scheduled for July 11 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, slated to conclude the 2026 International Fight Week.
McGregor has been sidelined since suffering a broken leg in the opening round of his trilogy bout against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021. His last victory dates back to January 2020 at UFC 246, where he scored a rapid 40-second knockout over Donald Cerrone.
Meanwhile, “Blessed” was last seen in action at UFC 326, where he lost his BMF title to former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira via a lopsided unanimous decision. Prior to that setback, Holloway secured a win over Poirier at UFC 318 in July 2025.
“The Notorious” first faced Holloway during his sophomore outing in the promotion at UFC Boston in August 2014, where he secured a unanimous decision victory.
