McGregor promises greater power at welterweight ahead of UFC 329 rematch with Holloway

Conor McGregor has broken his pre-fight media silence to claim that competing at welterweight will make him a more powerful fighter when he faces Max Holloway at UFC 329 on July 11 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas — his first appearance in the octagon since July 2021.

“I feel absolutely amazing, stellar,” McGregor told The Mac Life, adding that his preparation has given him a quiet confidence he feels no need to broadcast publicly. “There’s a different thud when you fight against me. I fought Max once many years ago. I look forward to my improvements on it.”

For most of his UFC career, McGregor has competed at featherweight and lightweight. The move up to 170 pounds for this rematch represents a notable shift, and the Dubliner insists the extra weight class has translated directly into increased punching power.

McGregor (22-6) first met Holloway (27-9) more than a decade ago, defeating him by unanimous decision in August 2013 — a fight that came before either man had reached the top of the sport. Much has changed since. Holloway has since become a two-time featherweight champion and is listed as the favourite heading into the rematch, largely due to McGregor’s extended absence from competition.

McGregor’s last UFC outing ended in a broken leg suffered during a trilogy bout against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264. His most recent welterweight appearance came in January 2020, when he stopped Donald Cerrone in 40 seconds.

Whether the added size and the claimed improvements in power are enough to overcome nearly four years of inactivity against a fighter widely regarded as one of the best strikers in the sport’s history remains the central question heading into UFC 329.