Poirier warns McGregor faces uphill battle against Holloway at UFC 329

Dustin Poirier believes Conor McGregor is heading into unfavourable territory when he ends a five-year absence from the octagon against Max Holloway in the UFC 329 main event on July 11 in Las Vegas. Speaking on the Deep Waters podcast, Poirier — who has fought both men three times during his career — offered a detailed breakdown of why he sees the rematch going against McGregor.

Poirier acknowledged that McGregor’s 2013 victory over Holloway was a tactically impressive performance, one that showcased a broader martial arts range than many expected. “I thought in their first fight, he showed a full arsenal of martial arts,” Poirier said. “He injured his legs, switched to wrestling. Nobody knew he’d be shooting shots like that. He’s a knockout guy. He’s a standup guy. But he went out there and won the fight, did what he had to do. That’s mastering martial arts.”

However, Poirier is unconvinced McGregor can replicate that approach at UFC 329. The primary concern is conditioning. “Conor’s not that kind of wrestler,” Poirier said. “And he doesn’t have the gas tank. If he does wrestle and doesn’t get a takedown or has to scramble, those later rounds, he’s going to be gassed. Especially at 170, he’s going to be heavier. I don’t think it’s good.”

Poirier also pushed back on the idea that Charles Oliveira’s recent dominant grappling performance over Holloway in their BMF title fight provides a blueprint for McGregor. “Charles didn’t use traditional wrestling — it was a lot of body locks, a lot of clinch, different stuff,” he explained. “A jiu-jitsu guy’s grappling is a different field than a wrestler. The setups, the takedowns, the defense is different. I don’t think Conor has what Charles had to stay on him like that.”

The longer the fight runs, Poirier argued, the worse it looks for McGregor. “Max is a volume, cardio guy, with power now. So I think it’s just trouble the later it goes.”

Poirier’s perspective carries weight. He was the last man to share the octagon with McGregor, breaking the Irishman’s leg at UFC 264 in July 2021. Since that night, Poirier has competed for four UFC titles while McGregor has been sidelined entirely. That extended layoff is, in Poirier’s view, the defining factor heading into July. “Five years is a long time,” he said.

UFC 329 headlines International Fight Week and marks McGregor’s first competitive bout since that injury. Holloway, meanwhile, has remained one of the sport’s most active and decorated fighters across the same period, adding the BMF title to a résumé that already includes a featherweight championship reign.