Volkanovski backs Holloway to finish McGregor in UFC 329 return after five-year absence

UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski has backed Max Holloway to finish Conor McGregor when the two rematch in the main event of UFC 329 in Las Vegas on Saturday — McGregor’s first fight in five years.

McGregor has been out of action since shattering his leg against Dustin Poirier in their trilogy bout, and Volkanovski, speaking on his YouTube channel, expressed serious doubt that the Irishman can recapture the timing and sharpness that once made him one of the sport’s most dangerous strikers.

“Can he be that sharp? Can he be that good with his timing?” Volkanovski said. “I don’t believe he’ll ever be that good again. But can he still have great timing, still be sharp, still have a good eye? 100 percent. I still think he’s going to be able to hit Max. Max has got a great chin. I think he’s going to have to rely on his chin a little bit.”

Volkanovski, who has spent 75 minutes in the cage with Holloway across their trilogy, also cautioned that Holloway is not the same fighter he once was either. At 34 and with 16 years of professional competition behind him, the Hawaiian has shown signs that the accumulated mileage is beginning to tell. Volkanovski believes Holloway must acknowledge that reality if he is to win.

“Can he zap the life out of Conor pretty quickly? 100 percent,” Volkanovski said. “Can he rely on that volume striking to do so like he used to? No. I think that could lose him the fight.”

The champion’s assessment was that Holloway’s more measured, defensively disciplined version of himself is actually well-suited to navigating McGregor’s early power — provided he does not walk in recklessly.

“The fighter that Max is today, I think he’s going to be safe enough to not get hit too much,” Volkanovski said. “I think he still gets hit, but luckily he’s still durable and still got a good chin, where he’s going to survive some of those big shots and then just start to have his way even later in the first round.”

Volkanovski was clear that those expecting a straightforward Holloway walkover are underestimating McGregor’s danger. “People think Max is just going to walk through him from the start. It ain’t gonna be that easy. He’s going to have big problems early,” he said, adding that McGregor “could definitely give Max some problems” if Holloway is too aggressive too soon.

Despite those caveats, Volkanovski ultimately sees Holloway making the right adjustments and earning a finish — a result that would further cement the Hawaiian’s legacy and close the book on one of MMA’s most anticipated comebacks.