When & where will Conor McGregor make his highly anticipated UFC return?
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The Notorious has been on a five-year-long layoff.
Since suffering a brutal leg injury at UFC 264 in July 2021, Conor McGregor has been away from the UFC octagon. After multiple teases, the return remained in limbo until 2024, when multiple callouts by Michael Chandler brought McGregor for a season of The Ultimate Fighter.
The two were then set to fight at UFC 303 in June 2024, but the highly anticipated return never materialized as the fight was called off due to McGregor’s injury.
Fast forward to October 2025, and it was revealed that McGregor received an 18-month suspension after missing three tests from the UFC anti-doping program, Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD). The suspension was retroactive to September 20, 2024.
Notably, the suspension ended on March 20, 2026, which means there is no roadblock in Conor’s return. The Notorious has himself heavily campaigned to be included on the White House card. So, what’s the latest? When is Conor McGregor returning?
When and where will Conor McGregor make his UFC return?
Conor McGregor will make his highly anticipated return during International Fight Week in July. McGregor will return to the octagon in July against a familiar opponent in Max Holloway at UFC 329. The event is set to take place on July 11, 2026, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
This bout marks their second meeting inside the octagon, where they are set to compete in a Welterweight bout. Their first meeting inside the octagon was in August 2013, when a young Holloway fought a surging trash-talking featherweight from Ireland. Conor picked up the win in their first encounter.
Notably, this marks Conor’s fourth bout in UFC’s Welterweight division, while Holloway, who has primarily competed as a featherweight, moved up to 155lbs for good in 2024, but has not fought in the 170 lbs division and will be making his debut in a rematch against McGregor.
Fans are now waiting to see if McGregor, who is dealing with a major layoff, two injuries, and ring rust, will be able to fend off Holloway, who, despite losses, has kept fighting, capturing the BMF title and scoring major wins over Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje.
The co-main event of UFC 329 will see two top lightweights collide as Paddy Pimblett takes on Benoit Saint Denis in a crucial fight, as both are attempting to get back into title contention.
When and where will Conor McGregor make his UFC return?
McGregor will make his UFC return during International Fight Week at UFC 329 in a rematch against Max Holloway in July.
What matches have been announced for UFC 329?
-Conor McGregor vs Max Holloway – Welterweight bout-Paddy Pimblett vs Benoit Saint Denis – Lightweight bout-Cody Garbrandt vs Adrian Yanez – Bantamweight bout-Robert Whittaker vs Nikita Krylov – Light Heavyweight bout-Brandon Royval vs Lone’er Kavanagh – Flyweight bout-Tracy Cortez vs Wang Cong – Women’s Flyweight bout-Damian Pinas vs Cesar Almeida – Middleweight bout-Luke Riley vs Kai Kamaka III – Featherweight bout-Ode’ Osbourne vs Cody Durden -Flyweight bout
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Abhijit Singh is a budding sports journalist with over three years of experience in the field, and a photographer capturing stories through his lens since 2018. With a background in philosophy and political science, he brings a thoughtful, analytical edge to his reporting where every word is guided by curiosity and intent. Whether he's capturing the emotion of a moment or unpacking the deeper narratives within the game, Abhijit’s work is rooted in insight and passion. When he’s not covering sports, he’s often exploring new ideas through reading, traveling or just procrastinating.