McGregor insists he is at his peak ahead of five-year UFC return against Holloway

Conor McGregor has claimed he is in his athletic prime as he counts down to his first UFC appearance in five years, a rematch with Max Holloway at UFC 329 on July 11 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The former two-division champion is 37 years old and returns after the longest competitive absence of his career, yet he is dismissing any suggestion that time or inactivity has diminished him. Speaking to The Mac Life, McGregor was unequivocal about where he stands heading into fight week.

“I feel there’s so much left for me to conquer in this game. So much more accolades. More belts, more knockouts, more records, more cash,” he said. “I am taking everything of what I have built. The fight game in the combat sports world is McGregor’s world. And I’m in my prime here now. So, it is on me now to go and show that. And that’s what I will do.”

McGregor also addressed the weight of expectation that comes with a return of this scale, framing the pressure as fuel rather than burden. “The Mac has a fight… Hallelujah! The magnitude of this event is colossal. So it’s not hard to get motivated. And to remain disciplined, dedicated, all that is on the line here. And I am relishing it,” he added.

He confirmed that preparations are taking place at Straight Blast Gym in Ireland, where he said the focus has been on technical work with ego left at the door — a notably measured tone from a fighter not typically associated with understatement.

The Holloway rematch carries significant weight for both men. McGregor defeated Holloway by unanimous decision back in 2013 in one of his earliest UFC appearances, long before either fighter reached the top of the sport. Holloway has since become one of the most decorated featherweights in UFC history, making this a very different proposition from their first encounter.

Whether McGregor’s confidence translates into performance after such a prolonged layoff remains the central question surrounding UFC 329, and it is one only the Octagon can answer.