Conor McGregor and Max Holloway have started selling UFC 329 the way only two veterans can: with a mix of humor and grit. During a recent exchange, McGregor asked Holloway how he was feeling after the five-round loss to Charles Oliveira, and Holloway flipped it back with one of McGregor’s old lines about only counting finishes. McGregor’s answer, “I like this. Go ring the bell,” showed that the jab landed cleanly enough to get a laugh instead of a fight-night glare.
UFC 329: Max Holloway Fires Back at Conor McGregor, Ends Exchange With a Laugh
McGregor and Holloway first fought in August 2013, when both were rising names at featherweight and far from the stars they would become. McGregor won that fight by unanimous decision, taking control on the mat after suffering a torn ACL during the bout, and the rematch at UFC 329 now comes 13 years later on a much larger stage.
That old fight is only part of the draw. Holloway enters this matchup as a former UFC featherweight champion whose run at 145 pounds made him one of the division’s defining figures, and he has stayed relevant while taking major fights at lightweight as well. Even in defeat against Oliveira at UFC 326, he went the full five rounds, survived repeated submission threats, and kept pushing to the final horn, which is a big reason fans still view him as one of the most respected names on the roster.
McGregor‘s side of the story is very different as he remains the most recognizable fighter the sport has produced, and UFC 329 is set up as his return after a long layoff that followed the broken leg he suffered in his last Octagon appearance against Dustin Poirier in July 2021. This is McGregor’s comeback after five years away.
Conor: “How are you doing after your five-round fight with Oliveira? I was disappointed in the result and the outcome of the bout. How’s the body? How are you feeling?”
Max: “In Conor’s words, I don’t even think that’s a loss. He said he only counts finishes. Last, I lost a decision.”
Conor: [Laughing] “I like this. Go ring the bell”
McGregor came into the interview in vintage form, telling Holloway he would not land on him and calling him “my child,” while Holloway stayed loose and answered in his usual calm style. That balance is part of why the exchange landed so well: McGregor pushed, Holloway answered with humor, and the tension briefly gave way to both men enjoying the line.
UFC 329 is scheduled for July 11, 2026, in Las Vegas, with McGregor vs. Holloway 2 set as the main event during International Fight Week. The card was officially announced in May, and the event is expected to serve as one of the UFC’s biggest summer shows, which fits the scale of McGregor’s return and Holloway’s latest marquee spot.
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