UFC 329 heads into fight week with Conor McGregor’s return as fans and fighters weigh in on the McGregor-Holloway rematch

UFC 329 arrives in Las Vegas with the spotlight on Conor McGregor’s return to the Octagon and a rematch against Max Holloway. Ahead of the event at T-Mobile Arena, Yahoo Sports is soliciting predictions across the card, including staff picks and a reader consensus component that will be tallied using submissions registered by a deadline set for Friday at noon ET.

The premise of the matchup is simple: McGregor is back after a long layoff, and Holloway is stepping into the cage again with the kind of confidence that comes from experience in championship-level bouts. In separate coverage, ESPN reported that Holloway believes he will defeat McGregor at UFC 329 and framed the possibility of a trilogy as a meaningful follow-on if the rematch is resolved in his favor.

Prediction culture is also reflecting the broader uncertainty that surrounds a late-career return from inactivity. Sports Illustrated, citing comments and history around the matchup, described the stakes around McGregor’s comeback and noted that the MMA conversation has been waiting for what he has left after time away from getting his hand raised in the UFC.

Alexander Volkanovski, the current UFC featherweight champion referenced in Sports Illustrated’s coverage, also entered the conversation with an explicit pick for the main event. His selection was framed as clear-cut, in line with the view that Holloway’s time-tested timing, volume, and ability to adapt at the highest pace will translate even against a power and precision threat like McGregor.

The event’s build-up has extended beyond the headliner, but the main draw is still the rematch itself. The original Yahoo Sports preview positioned UFC 329 as a card featuring McGregor’s return and emphasized that its staff predictions will incorporate the consensus from MMA Junkie readers, underscoring how much of fight-week attention is now driven by collective forecasting as much as by traditional media analysis.

As for what to watch next, the biggest question is not just who has the better stylistic outline on paper, but whether Holloway can reassert his rhythm and whether McGregor can land the moments that swing fights with his offense. With multiple UFC figures offering takes and Holloway publicly expecting a win, the narrative is increasingly focused on whether the rematch becomes a fresh chapter or simply confirms the earlier trendlines.

Finally, UFC 329’s prediction slate is a reminder that outcomes in MMA are rarely decided by single attributes. For fans trying to interpret the converging opinions, the most practical lens is to track how the fight begins, how each man sets range and pace early, and whether either athlete can impose the kind of control that overwhelms opponent adjustments over multiple rounds.