McGregor dismisses Gaethje as 'atrocious at his worst' ahead of UFC 329 return against Holloway

Conor McGregor has offered a lukewarm assessment of UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje, describing him as ‘OK at his best’ but ‘atrocious’ and ‘woeful’ when he underperforms — signalling little urgency to chase a title fight at 155 pounds as he prepares for his welterweight return against Max Holloway at UFC 329 on July 11.

“Max has flatlined Justin,” McGregor said. “He knocked him out. Face down. Out cold. Justin’s OK. When he’s on, Justin’s OK. When he’s bad, he’s atrocious. He’s woeful. He slaps his punches a lot. But he’s very, very durable and he’s unorthodox in his style.”

The comments come after Gaethje claimed the lightweight title with an improbable victory over Ilia Topuria at the UFC White House card, a win that theoretically opens the door for a high-profile McGregor challenge. The Irishman, however, appears in no rush to walk through it.

McGregor has made clear that welterweight is now his permanent home. “I’m a 170-pound fighter now,” he said. “I already held the 155-pound unified UFC world title. I’m open for business. I wish for activity. I’ve got a great fight in front of me.”

The 36-year-old is returning from a broken leg sustained in his last outing in July 2021 — a four-year absence that has visibly sharpened his appetite to compete. With only two fights left on his UFC contract, his long-term future remains unresolved, though he has hinted the promotion has pencilled in a follow-up bout for April 2027 should the Holloway fight go ahead as planned.

Despite the obvious commercial appeal of naming potential opponents, McGregor is keeping his cards close. “There’s a few names for sure,” he said. “I have just more so activity. I wish to just compete. I want the smoke. I want all the smoke. Rather than saying it and getting into more detail on it, I would rather just show.”

For now, Holloway — himself a former featherweight champion making his own welterweight move — represents the immediate obstacle. McGregor’s broader ambitions, and whether they eventually circle back to Gaethje and the lightweight title, will depend on what happens on July 11.