A huge piece of UFC news dropped on Saturday night when Dana White announced that Conor McGregor will return to the Octagon on July 11 to face Max ‘Blessed’ Holloway in a highly anticipated match, which is the Main Event of UFC 329.
The timing of the news drop by Dana White turned some heads in the fighting world. At the same time, Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions was having its first-ever MMA event, which featured stars like Francis Ngannou, Ronda Rousey, and Nate Diaz/Mike Perry. The event overall was a success, as it gained a lot of buzz around social media, but the event also gained buzz due to White’s announcement of the McGregor/Holloway bout.
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Jake Paul Reacts to Conor McGregor News
GettyBOSTON, MA – AUGUST 17: Conor McGregor elbows Max Holloway on the ground in their featherweight bout at TD Garden on August 17, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)
As anticipated, the Conor McGregor news immediately started to sweep and grab headlines all across the sports world, and Jake Paul appeared to have taken some exception to that.
In the MVP MMA post-fight press conference, here is what Jake Paul had to say about Dana White’s announcement during Francis Ngannou’s walkout:
“The cokehead is back!” Paul said about McGregor’s return to action. “Nice. Yeah, that’s cool. Drop it during our event. It doesn’t matter. That just shows how pressed they are.”
“Little insecure boys trying to piggyback off of our event and try to put some news over top of us. It’s not going to work buddy.”
There haven’t been any official reports regarding the first MVP MMA card, but the early returns appear to be solid, given the star power in the event, and the buzz was gained on Saturday night.
As for Jake Paul’s comments, it’s very on brand for him to take shots at really anyone, but especially Dana White, now that Paul and his MVP company are entering the MMA space, which is dominated by the UFC and Dana White.
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What Does Conor McGregor’s Return Mean for UFC?
GettyLAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JULY 10: Conor McGregor of Ireland walks through the arena before his lightweight bought against Dustin Poirier during UFC 264: Poirier v McGregor 3 at T-Mobile Arena on July 10, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
The Conor McGregor-Max Holloway bout in UFC 329 has the potential to be the most-viewed UFC card in several years, and that’s saying a lot because UFC 250 (freedom card) also has the makeup and headlines to attract millions of viewers.
However, McGregor’s lengthy hiatus and Holloway being one of the most entertaining and beloved fighters right now make it such an anticipated event.
McGregor and Max Holloway have fought once before, back in 2013.
As for what to expect from McGregor in his return? Nobody truly knows. McGregor himself has been very adamant about stepping back into the Octagon, but everyone says that until they have another man (or woman) standing across from them, coming for blood.
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Jake Paul Sends Blunt Message to Dana White After Conor McGregor News Announced During MVP Event