Matt Brown warns McGregor's legacy is finished if he skips UFC 329 fight with Holloway

Conor McGregor’s return to the octagon against Max Holloway at UFC 329 on July 11 carries stakes that go beyond the result, according to retired UFC contender Matt Brown — who argues that simply making the walk may matter more than winning it.

McGregor has not competed in the UFC since suffering a broken leg in his trilogy bout with Dustin Poirier. A planned 2024 comeback against Michael Chandler was derailed by a broken toe, and even after that injury healed, no new fight was booked until UFC CEO Dana White recently announced the Holloway matchup.

“If he doesn’t make this walk, I think it’s going to be unanimous agreement he’s done and he’s never fighting again,” Brown said on The Fighter vs. The Writer podcast. “If he doesn’t go in there and win, I think it’s going to be a unanimous agreement that no one wants to see him fight again either. Even if he looks good.”

Brown acknowledged that McGregor’s star power is large enough to sustain an audience regardless of results, but warned that credibility has limits. “He’s a big enough star, he could fight and lose the next five or 10 times and people will still watch,” Brown said. “But the interest will wane hugely if he doesn’t make this walk and find a way to win. It’s a lot of pressure on his side.”

The matchup against Holloway is also a notably harder assignment than the original Chandler fight, and Brown gave McGregor credit for accepting it. Holloway has remained one of the sport’s most active and decorated fighters, competing at the top of two divisions during McGregor’s five-year absence.

“Whether he wins or loses, I have to have some respect for Conor for taking the fight against Max Holloway,” Brown said. “A known killer who has had a ton of success since last time they fought. If he goes in and makes that walk, that’s a gigantic risk for him.”

Brown was clear that a loss to Holloway would not be without honour, but stressed that McGregor’s relevance as a fighter — rather than as a celebrity — depends heavily on what happens in July. “If he loses this fight, his relevance as a fighter drops dramatically,” Brown said.