Conor McGregor has completed his final hard training camp session, less than 10 days out from his first in-cage competition since 2021 – and he’s feeling like he hasn’t skipped a beat.
“I feel great,” McGregor recently told The Mac Life. “I feel absolutely amazing. I feel stellar. The work has been exceptional. No corners cut. No flash. We’ve been quiet this camp. We’ve been at work. That’s confidence. There’s a lack of confidence if you need to share things or get this ego boost. We don’t need it. We’re going to do it on the night. I’m excited for it. I’m excited for my team and my country.”
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McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-14 UFC) headlines UFC 329 on July 11 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (Paramount+). No stranger to rematches and trilogies, McGregor faces another former foe in the event’s headliner as he battles Max Holloway in a five-round welterweight bout.
“I love a rematch,” McGregor said. “Who doesn’t love the story builds, the tension builds? The fans get excited. They’ve got comparisons. It’s great for business. I’m all for a good rematch. There you go. Max’s name was put forward and I’m happy with it. It could’ve been anyone.”
McGregor and Holloway first fought in 2013 on the preliminary card of the UFC’s debut event on Fox Sports 1. That bout was at featherweight and McGregor defeated Holloway by unanimous decision. A lot has changed since then and McGregor thinks the welterweight version of himself could surprise Holloway ().
“There’s a different thud when you fight against me,” McGregor said. “I fought once against Max many years ago. I look forward to my improvements on it. … “Danger will be everywhere inside the octagon for Max, so we are well aware of him in this gym and this camp.”
McGregor, 37, has not competed since he broke his leg in July 2021 in a trilogy bout vs. Dustin Poirier. The injury required surgery and extensive rehab. In its aftermath, McGregor was the center of debate in a drug testing blowup between the UFC and USADA.
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Over the years since, McGregor reached new outside-the-cage highs as he starred in the remake of “Road House” alongside Jake Gyllenhaal. The 2024 film turned out to be the most-watched original film in Amazon Prime History. He also reached new lows, as he was found liable by an Irish jury in a civil lawsuit for sexual assault in 2025.
Despite it all, McGregor remains one of combat sports’ biggest stars, selling out T-Mobile for the UFC’s annual tentpole event, which is certain to produce another eye-popping live gate figure.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Conor McGregor explains what Max Holloway may not realize ahead of UFC 329
