Barring any roadblocks, ‘The Notorious’ Conor McGregor will return to action at UFC 329 on July 12, looking to secure another victory against Max Holloway.
McGregor’s last appearance in 2021 ended in pain, with the Irish fighter’s tibia snapping against Dustin Poirier. Almost exactly five years later, he makes his comeback. However, fans and pundits aren’t the only ones doubting the efficacy of 37-year-old McGregor; his old rivals do too.
Eddie Alvarez, whom McGregor defeated to become the UFC’s first double-champion in 2016, believes McGregor is making a risky move by returning to face an active opponent.
GettyConor McGregor on a stretcher leaving his 2021 fight with Dustin Poirier
Eddie Alvarez: Conor Mcgregor ‘Too Far out of Character’ for High-Profile Ufc Return Fight
Speaking with Full Send, Alvarez gave McGregor his due but acknowledged that MMA waits for nobody.
“The universal law of fighting is, you can’t put it down and pick it up whenever you want,” Alvarez said. “You’re either in this life or you’re not. It’s not something you can just pick up and put down. You are a fighter and it takes years to become that character. And once you get out of that character, it’s very difficult to get back into it.
“If anyone can make a comeback, and have the obsessiveness, Conor’s the guy to do it, but I just think he’s been too far out of that character to come back against a guy who has been active; he’s been in that character; he’s been getting big-big fights — I just think it might be too much too soon. ”
Alvarez had a spotty record after leaving the UFC in 2018. ‘The Underground King’ fought into his twilight fighting years, picking up a 1-2 (1NC) record in ONE, before going 1-2 in BKFC, where he was savaged by ex-UFC alums Jeremy Stephens and Mike Perry.
GettyConor McGregor hasn’t fought in any capacity since 2021
UFC 329 Ticket Prices Soar Despite McGregor’s Long Hiatus
Despite not fighting, McGregor has had a tumultuous time outside of the Octagon, to say the least. McGregor was found civilly liable for sexual assault by the Irish High Court, dating back to an incident in 2018. He was also accused of sexual battery in a Federal Lawsuit in 2025.
This hasn’t stopped the McGregor fan excitement, as MMA Fighting reports that UFC 329 tickets are selling for as much as $24,600, with all signs pointing to an arena sellout for the UFC star.
Who Else Fights at UFC 329?
McGregor and Holloway head up a 13-fight card, subject to change.
- Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway; welterweight
- Benoit Saint-Denis vs. Paddy Pimblett; lightweight
- Cory Sandhagen vs. Mario Bautista; bantamweight
- Gable Steveson vs. Elisha Ellison; heavyweight
- Brandon Royval vs. Lone’er Kavanagh; flyweight
- Damian Pinas vs. Cesar Almeida; middleweight
- Ryan Gandra vs. Zach Reese; middleweight
- Cody Durden vs. Ode Osbourne; flyweight
- Cody Garbrandt vs. Adrian Yanez; bantamweight
- Kai Kamaka III vs. Luke Riley; featherweight
- Robert Whittaker vs. Nikita Krylov; light heavyweight
- Tracy Cortez vs. Cong Wang; flyweight
- King Green vs. Terrance McKinney; lightweight
Old Rival Doubts Conor Mcgregor’s UFC Comeback, ‘Too Much Too Soon’