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It’s UFC 329 fight week, and Conor McGregor has finally checked into the T-Mobile Arena, the same venue where he suffered the horrific leg injury in 2021 that kept him out of the octagon for five years.
However, now, the former UFC double champ is in great shape and will look to deliver a ‘spectacular performance’ this weekend when he runs it back with Max Holloway, whom “The Notorious” previously beat by unanimous decision in 2013.

Conor McGregor plans to remain busy after UFC 329 and is “optimistic that will be the case”

At the T-Mobile Arena, ESPN MMA’s Brett Okamoto interviewed Conor McGregor. During the chat, the Irishman, who has 2 more bouts left in his UFC contract, said that he would love to fight multiple times a year and “hopes to keep going.” He said:

“I love this arena. I love fight night, fight week. And God willing, I’m back here next week and the week after. How many weeks are in a year? 54? There you go. You know, I could fight every week if it’s a go. Before the injury, I had maybe three within the year. People don’t recall that. And yeah, now there you go. We plan on getting busy here. I believe I wish for it. I wish for it.”

“So, if I’m the man in the arena, right? I’m the one that’s making the walk. So, if I’m the one who’s pushing for it and campaigning for it, I’m sure that is the case. Now, I’ve said my peace with the Ultimate Fighting Championship and their staging of my bouts, and they’ve said their peace, and it’s kind of fallen on. Let’s let it happen on Saturday night and let’s talk. And I’m fine with that. I’m absolutely fine with that. Two fights left on the contract. It’s still as is. This one will be, then one. So, you know, I hope to keep going, and I’m optimistic that will be the case.”

Check out Conor McGregor’s comments below:

McGregor loves to stay active and fight at least two times a year, if not more. He has maintained that kind of schedule before, competing three or at least two times every year from 2013 to 2016, before injuries or other distractions kicked in.

Conor McGregor also said during the same interview that the catastrophic leg injury he suffered has fueled his determination to stage the biggest comeback in MMA history. This weekend at UFC 329, he plans to remind the world why he is on another level. He added:

“[I feel] absolute confidence and excitement to do my job. You know, you got to dig deep, and you got to prove to yourself you are what you say you are. And so that was what it was for me. I was using it as motivation. It takes a lot of deep internal work to return from an injury like that, and I just used that as motivation. Lovely! I wish for it to be that way cuz now I can show, and on Saturday night I’m going to show.”

Check out Conor McGregor’s comments below:

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Conor McGregor has once again unloaded on his arch-rival, Khabib Nurmagomedov. McGregor believes the undefeated former lightweight champion and UFC Hall of Famer has done nothing in the sport and should not be ranked amongst the greats.

During an interview with Complex, McGregor quipped:

“Can’t even kick above their fu**ing knee. Can’t even kick. Can’t even touch their feet. That is not martial arts. That is nothing to me. Come on. The guy has done nothing in the sport. He’s got nothing in the sport. 13 fights he’s had in the company. That’s it. And three against named opponents.”

Check out the full interview below:

Conor McGregor Admits He Was ‘Doing Bad Things’ Before Khabib Nurmagomedov Fight

The Irishman claimed he had been partying before his title fight with “The Eagle.” McGregor had spent two years away from the octagon for his boxing match with Floyd Mayweather Jr. before returning to face “The Eagle” at UFC 229, yet still lasted four rounds against the undefeated Dagestani wrestling maestro before being submitted by a neck crank. During the same sitdown with Complex, he added:

“He [Khabib] had a fight against me coming off of I was off the yacht. I was doing bad things on a yacht. Yeah. I was partying heavily, and I was up to my eyeballs in court cases and all of this. I hadn’t fought in two years. I was worth 200 million. I come back and fight this fu**ing guy. I’ve done four rounds with him. I had a broken toe. I’m sure you’ve seen the Netflix show where I broke my fu*king foot three weeks before the bout. This guy’s nothing, then. Where is he now? Also, he’s gone.”

“So, I don’t rate him at all. I don’t rate him at all. No courage. The man has no courage. The man has succumbed to his pain, and it is a damn shame. I have nothing to say to him. Nothing to say about him. I don’t rate him. Never fought, missed weight, never fought above weight divisions. Three fights, no stoppages, no knockouts. Come on, man. How many more knockouts has he got? Fu**king three or four. You must be mad. You must be mad if I’m going to waste my fu**ing time watching this shi*.”

Lastly, Conor McGregor claimed that although Khabib Nurmagomedov is undefeated at 29-0, many of his early-career victories came against 0-0 opponents, and that the first half of Khabib’s career “was on his father’s shows in the middle of nowhere.”

“His first half of his work was fighting in his father’s shows in the middle of nowhere in wherever they’re from, right? He’s like 12 and 0. The opponent he’s fighting is 0 and 0… I don’t rate him at all. He has done nothing at all.”

Check out Conor McGregor’s comments below:

Conor McGregor returns to the octagon this weekend at UFC 329 to run it back with Max Holloway. If “The Notorious” defeats “Blessed,” a showdown with current 170-pound titleholder and P4P king Islam Makhachev could be on the cards next.

With “The Eagle” having no intention of coming out of retirement to face the Irishman again, a clash with Nurmagomedov’s close friend and training partner Makhachev would be the closest fans could get to revisiting one of the UFC’s biggest rivalries.

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Conor McGregor has once more lauded his arch-rival Khabib Nurmagomedov’s protege Islam Makhachev. The Irishman believes Makhachev should be ranked ahead of both Daniel Cormier and “The Eagle” in the all-time greatest conversation.

Two-division champion and pound-for-pound king Makhachev is set to defend his 170-pound strap next month at UFC 330 against Ian Machado Garry.

Meanwhile, this weekend, Conor McGregor will return to the octagon after a five-year layoff to headline UFC 329 in a rematch against Max Holloway.

Conor McGregor praises Islam Makhachev, urges him not to retire anytime soon

During a sit-down with Complex, after blasting Khabib Nurmagomedov, Conor McGregor praised his archrival’s longtime friend and teammate, Islam Makhachev, who has registered the most title defenses in UFC lightweight history before moving up to 170 pounds and winning a second belt. Notably, Makhachev is on a 16-fight UFC win streak and has four finishes in six title bouts. While praising Makhachev, “The Notorious” said:

“He’s [Islam Makhachev] above Khabib. Finishes, body of work, both divisions. For sure he is. Still at it… There’s a lot left in that boy, and he should recognize that and keep going. I have him above [Daniel Cormier and Khabib Nurmagomedov].

Check out Conor McGregor’s comments about Islam Makhachev below:

In the past, McGregor had also shown interest in fighting Makhachev down the line as he aims to capture the “triple crown.” The Dubliner had told Bloody Elbow:

“I’m self-motivated and I for sure want a crack at that belt. I for sure want a crack at that 170-pound belt to go for the triple crown… It would be a good fight [Me vs. Makhachev], a good scrap. Southpaw vs southpaw.”

Check out Conor McGregor’s comments below:

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Even Makhachev’s coach Javier Mendez likes the idea of a potential Makhachev vs. McGregor superfight. If both fighters are successful in their upcoming outings, this pipe dream can soon turn into reality.

During the same interview, “The Notorious” also made his own GOAT list.

Check it out below:

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Dalton Rosta is tied with Aaron Jeffery at one win apiece, but it doesn’t seem like the temperature is high for the former in terms of a rubber match transpiring down the line. Rosta takes on Bryan Battle in the headliner of PFL Charlotte, on August 7th. Also on PFL’s foray into North Carolina, Joshua Silveira versus Aaron Jeffrey takes place in what is another consequential middleweight contest.

When asked if each gets their desired outcome on this Summer card, if a trilogy clash with the former BTC and CFFC champ could garner his interest at all, Rosta said [via Bowks Talking Bouts],

“No, because at the end of the day, I think I put on exciting fights whether I’m wrestling or striking. I’ve never been in a boring fight except for with Aaron Jeffery and a lot of his fights, this is no dig at Aaron Jeffery. All of his fights are boring. He hugs everybody against the cage. It’s probably going to be the same way with Josh Silveira. So, if he were to win, which I don’t think he will. If he were to win, I don’t think they’d want to make the trilogy. They don’t want to tank my stock to give him another opportunity. At least that’s what I think.”

“Also, I don’t even think his name’s in the conversation. From my understanding, you’ve got still the top four in the division. Even though I lost to Impa [Kasanganay], I’m still ranked fourth. He’s still ranked third. He’s getting the interim shot. Fabian [Edwards] just fought for the championship. Fabian is still ranked second. Look at the top four. So, they’re going to be focusing on the top four, for sure.”

Dalton Rosta and Aaron Jeffery’s MMA history

Dalton Rosta and Aaron Jeffery have gone the distance in both of their bouts, with each clash taking place under different promotional banners. In their initial showdown, Jeffery earned a unanimous decision over Rosta at Bellator 298.

The sequel clash saw ‘Hercules’ get the nod from the judges this time as Rosta recorded a split decision win at PFL World Tournament 7. It remains to be seen if these two share the cage again, but they both are definitely within the upper echelon of PFL’s stacked middleweight division.

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Legendary mixed martial arts coach Greg Jackson has given fans a preview of what to expect when Gable Steveson steps in there to take on Elisha Ellison this weekend.

At UFC 329, Gable Steveson, who is just 3-0 in his mixed martial arts career, will make his first appearance for the UFC. His official debut takes place on one of the biggest cards of the year with the likes of Conor McGregor and Paddy Pimblett looking to shine on the main card.

Gable Steveson is a controversial figure for many given his past, but in equal measure, he has the potential to be one of the best heavyweights that we have ever seen at the elite level. Well, that’s if you believe the likes of Jon Jones and Greg Jackson, who have been working very closely with him in the lead-up to the Ellison fight.

In a recent UFC Embedded appearance, Greg Jackson had the following to say about Gable Steveson.

Greg Jackson on Gable Steveson’s potential

“I think, if you’re a fan, you’re gonna need to tune in to see what can this guy do,” Jackson said on UFC 329 “Embedded.” “He already won the Olympic gold medal at heavyweight in wrestling. That is so hard to do, I can’t even tell you. Where is the ceiling? What can he accomplish? What can he do?”

“I’ve worked with most of the greatest fighters to ever do this game, and his athletic ability is unprecedented,” Jackson said. “The way he thinks about things, how smart he is, how coachable, you need to tune in now to see where the ceiling for this guy is. He might be redefining what this sport is.”

Quotes via MMA Junkie

Of course, it’s great to show potential in the early stages of your career, but this is the big dance we’re talking about here. Gable understands pressure and tends to deal with it quite well, but when the lights are shining bright on a pay-per-view of this magnitude, this is what will truly tell us what we need to know about the next phase of his development.

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UFC fighter and former champion Cody Garbrandt has discussed his eventual retirement, as well as the money within the fight game.

At UFC 329, Cody Garbrandt will collide with Adrian Yanez in one of the most underrated fights of the year thus far. Both men are known for their sharp boxing skills, but with Cody now being 35 years of age, there are plenty of questions about his longevity in mixed martial arts – especially when you consider the damage he’s taken in that time.

Alas, Cody Garbrandt has always been a fighter who is remembered fondly for the early portion of his career, especially when he won the world title. Either way, though, this is his last real opportunity if he’s serious about making another run for the gold.

In a recent interview before UFC 329, Cody Garbrandt had some interesting thoughts on his future, the UFC and fighters managing their money.

Cody Garbrandt discussers fighter money

“I don’t know how many years I have left in the sport, but I pray that God lets me stay healthy, intact, and I can leave on my own terms,” Garbrandt told MMA Junkie on Tuesday. “I think a lot of fighters don’t get that opportunity. They have to fight because they need the money. They have to fight injured. It’s tough. You see them walk away and the detriment that it does getting released back into the wild. Like, man, you’re not going to have that adrenaline, something to look forward to, so it’s tough. I just pray that a lot of these fighters stacked their money, get plans for after. 

“I wish the UFC did a little more in helping us out with that: healthcare, insurance, 401K. It’s scary to leave something that’s secure and you’ve chased your whole life, and then it’s done and those paychecks don’t come in, those sponsorships don’t come in. Then you go back to not having that adrenaline of chasing something. … It’s scary to think about that stuff. I can see why mentally, physically, emotionally a lot of fighters you see in the media go through stuff like that.”

Quotes via MMA Junkie

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Former UFC champion Merab Dvalishvili has said that Ilia Topuria was fighting blind after the early stages of his fight against Justin Gaethje.

As we know, Ilia Topuria lost the UFC lightweight championship at UFC Freedom 250 when he was defeated by Justin Gaethje. It was a hard-fought affair and Ilia certainly had his moments, but ultimately, it wasn’t enough, and ‘The Highlight’ finally managed to win the big one after years of trying – and a few failed attempts against Khabib Nurmagomedov and Charles Oliveira.

Ilia Topuria is a warrior in his own right and we all know that to be true, but it’s not insane to ask questions about what kind of response he will have after a beating like the one he took. The first professional loss for any mixed martial artist can really make you reevaluate your career, so it will be interesting to see what kind of changes he looks to implement.

In a recent interview, Merab Dvalishvili weighed in on Ilia Topuria’s loss.

Merab Dvalishvili discusses Ilia Topuria’s loss to Justin Gaethje

“My brother Ilia, unfortunately, he lost but he showed a great fight,” Dvalishvili told MMA Fighting. “Fight was really tough. Unfortunately, Ilia was fighting blind since the first round. I think one moment Justin Gaethje threw a punch like this [with his thumb extended], I think he eye poked him. It was even worse and then Ilia [was] blind in both eyes. He [wanted] to keep fighting. He almost finished Justin Gaethje from the body shot. He even dropped him.

“If Ilia continued [throwing] hammerfists or throwing punches, he would finish him. But Ilia chased the submission and then Justin Gaethje somehow survived. It was a tough fight but I’m proud of my brother Ilia. He showed a great, great fight.”

Quotes via MMA Fighting

Regardless of what may have been happening with Ilia’s vision, there’s no denying that Gaethje put on an incredible performance to secure the win. At the same time, Topuria will almost certainly be back in a world championship fight sooner rather than later, and we can’t wait to see how it plays out.

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Ian Machado Garry won’t be seeking an early finish against reigning UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev.

The Irishman is going to lock horns with Makhachev on August 15 in the main event of UFC 330. Garry recently joined Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Talent Agency, and earlier today, during the signing presser at Vicar Street, Dublin, the next 170-pound UFC title challenger spoke about his upcoming fight.

Ian Machado Garry breaks down upcoming UFC 330 title clash with Islam Makhachev

Ian Machado Garry, the short-notice risk-taker, renowned for breaking his opponents, having endless cardio, and always fighting the smart fight, appears to have a similar game plan against the P4P king.

Garry, while breaking down how he wants to dismantle Makhachev, made it clear that it won’t be an early knockout or a submission. Instead, he plans on going for 15 minutes and then look for the final kill in the fourth stanza. He wants to purely dominate and show the world why Irish MMA is the best. “The Future” said:

“My ideal scenario. I want a fourth-round finish. I don’t want any early knockout. Because then there are ifs, buts, and maybes. Ah, there are excuses. I want four rounds of domination. And in that fourth round, I am going to tell everybody, ‘I am going to do it now.’ And then I’m going to go and finish him. I’m going to open the door. I’m going to walk him into my traps and take his head clean off his shoulders.”

Check out Ian Machado Garry’s comments below:

During the same presser, talking about his big plans and why he’s the next big superstar in Irish MMA, “The Future” added:

“With my next fight, I am the most victorious Irishman in UFC history. I will have 11 wins. I want to [bring the UFC back to Ireland as fans here deserve it]. I am the next superstar of Irish MMA. I am going to be carrying the second wave.”

Check out Ian Machado Garry’s comments below:

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The UFC headed east to Azerbaijan for a UFC Fight Night event that featured a homecoming for Rafael Fiziev, while a card packed with emerging talent looked to put on a show in front of a packed crowd at the National Gymnastics Arena.

Here are our power rankings for the night’s top performers at UFC Baku.

UFC Baku Power Rankings

1. Rafael Fiziev

The homecoming hero of Baku was given the task of closing the show, and he did so in style with a brilliant second-round knockout of notorious first-round finisher Manuel Torres.

Fiziev entered the bout in poor form, having lost four of his last five bouts, but each of those matchups came against elite opposition. But against rising talent Torres, Fiziev proved that there are levels to the UFC’s lightweight division as he took the fight to the Mexican from the opening exchange, avoided Torres’ vaunted first-round finishing power, then stopped him in the second.

The finish, a spectacular spinning heel kick, with follow-up punches, was a thing of beauty, and the perfect way to send the Baku fans home happy after a great night of fights.

2. Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev

It will take you longer to read this than Yakhyaev needed to actually win his fight. The light heavyweight finisher entered the Octagon, patiently waited for Bruce Buffer to finish his announcements, then proceeded to demolish Julius Walker with strikes.

The whole fight lasted just seven seconds, as Yakhyaev gave another warning to the light heavyweight division that he’s a force to be reckoned with at 205 pounds.

3. Asu Almabayev

In terms of the most comprehensively excellent all-round MMA performance of the night, Asu Almabayev stood above the rest. Matched with the tricky veteran Charles Johnson, the Kazakh contender showcased smart stand-up skills, and mixed in his wrestling to keep the American guessing.

And when the fight hit the mat in the third round, Almabeyev produced a piece of grappling magic, as he worked himself into position and executed a perfect Suloev stretch to force the tap an secure his third straight win inside the Octagon.

Alabayev looks like a contender in the making at 125 pounds, and while he may need one more win to put himself right in line for a title shot, he can expect a big fight for his next assignment.

4. Matheus Camilo

Matched against Azerbaijan’s own Nazim Sadykhov, Brazil’s Matheus Camilo knew he was going into enemy territory in Baku. But, despite his opponent receiving the entirety of the fan support in the arena, it was Camilo who emerged with his hand raised in victory.

A well-timed punch dropped Sadykhov hard to the canvas, and a series of follow-up strikes forced the finish as Camilo claimed back-to-back wins in the UFC after losing his debut to Gabe Green in May 2025. Now he’s on a win streak, it’ll be interesting to see how far he can take his form in the talent-stacked lightweight division.

5. Daniil Donchenko

Having won The Ultimate Fighter, Ukraine’s Donchenko is starting to make real progress in the UFC’s welterweight division. His TKO of Swedish replacement opponent Theodor Berggren showcased Donchenko’s trademark aggression as he pushed the pace, hurt his man, and got the stoppage early in the second round.

At just 24 years of age, we’re only starting to scratch the surface of Donchenko’s potential in MMA gloves, but what we already know is that he’s an exciting talent to follow, and one who loves a tear-up. That’ll bode well for his booking prospects in the coming years, and it probably won’t be long before we see him on another fight card.

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Julian Lane is a former BKFC welterweight champion who is looking to return to winning ways against one of the top surging contenders in his division. A multi-time BKFC title challenger who trains with Julian Lane has weighed in on this looming Lane vs. Henry bout.

The two-time BKFC bantamweight title challenger who works with Lane is Ryan Reber, and he knows Julian Lane better than most on several levels. Bryce Henry is the surging 165-pounder who will collide with Lane, and the 6-0 bare knuckle boxer carries a one hundred percent finishing rate into his battle with ‘Let Me Bang’ Lane on June 4th at BKFC Hollywood.

This event also happens, but a couple of days after the eight-year anniversary of Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, promoting their kickoff card, with the company kicking off their promotional efforts on June 2nd, 2018. When discussing his personal as well as professional relationship with Julian Lane, Reber said [via Bare Knuckle Bowker],

“Yeah. No, it’s good, man. That’s my brother in the game, and we talk a lot. We get to share a lot of ideas together. I mean, we talked on the phone the other night for an hour. Just talked about him, talked about me, talked about things that needed to be different, talked about things we could do differently. It’s great to have those people in my corner, man. It really is because a guy like him, he’s an absolute legend in the sport. So he’s got a lot of insight. He’s got a lot of knowledge to pass down.”

Julian Lane vs. Bryce Henry analyzed by BKFC’s promoter

Julian Lane and Bryce Henry is a compelling clash at BKFC’ Florida-based card in the coming weeks, and as BKFC president David Feldman commented on the consequential contest at welterweight, Feldman said [via Fight Book MMA],

“Julian Lane has been with us since the beginning and is a true BKFC fighting legend. However, Bryce Henry has been on an unprecedented winning streak, all by knockout. Both guys want a shot at the world title, and this is a true BKFC crossroads battle. The former champ versus the fast-rising star, expect fireworks from the opening bell.”

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