Israel Adesanya says he won’t rule out a more grappling-heavy Conor McGregor approach vs. Max Holloway at UFC 329

Israel Adesanya is indicating that the story line for UFC 329 may not be limited to pure striking. In comments carried by Yahoo Sports, Adesanya said he would not rule out Conor McGregor wrestling Max Holloway in their featured setting, pointing to the possibility that McGregor could “mix things up” again rather than defaulting to one familiar game plan.

For UFC fans, the matchup presents a stylistic puzzle because Holloway is widely associated with relentless pace, volume, and pressure striking, while McGregor’s strongest moments have historically been tied to timing, distance management, and sharp shot selection. Adesanya’s point, as framed in the report, is that McGregor has shown willingness in the past to change the map midstream, and that those kinds of adjustments can matter against a difficult opponent to stop at range.

Adesanya specifically focused on the idea of wrestling as the tool that could alter how Holloway has to think. Wrestling changes fight math even when a fighter does not fully commit to extended grappling, because it can disrupt rhythm, force new defensive habits, and take away the comfort of setting up repeated striking sequences. In Adesanya’s view, the “mixing” factor could be enough to raise the ceiling for McGregor beyond a straightforward kick-and-punch exchange.

The underlying question is whether Holloway can stay in his preferred lane if McGregor is successful in landing takedown entries or turning scrambles into short bursts of control. Holloway’s strengths include answering pressure quickly and finding offense off exchanges, so any McGregor wrestling attempt would likely have to be paired with a clear plan for how to convert movement and contact into meaningful damage, not just transitions.

There is also a strategic risk in changing styles at this stage. A fighter who leans into wrestling without the right setup can give an opponent the chance to time counters during disengagement, especially when the opponent is comfortable working in close and far distances. That is why Adesanya’s framing matters, because it implies the decision would be tactical and situational rather than a full identity swap for the entire fight.

Adesanya’s comments arrive as UFC 329 nears, with conversation naturally centered on who sets the pace and who dictates the range. If McGregor does pursue wrestling elements, the early minutes could reveal whether it is primarily to steal rounds through positional control, to change Holloway’s footwork, or to create openings for striking by forcing Holloway to respect the threat of the takedown.

What to watch next is how McGregor tests Holloway’s reactions in the first exchanges. If McGregor attempts takedown entries, the frequency, timing, and follow-through will be key indicators of whether Adesanya’s “don’t rule it out” idea becomes a true game plan or stays a secondary threat.

For now, Adesanya’s message is less about predicting a specific outcome and more about emphasizing flexibility. In a fight where one man’s strengths are tied to rhythm and the other’s to disruption, any credible deviation, including wrestling, becomes a legitimate storyline and a variable for how the bout could be scored round by round.