He’s back.
Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) two-division champion Conor McGregor finally returns to action in a rematch against Max Holloway at UFC 329 next month (Sat., July 11, 2026) inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
During McGregor’s iconic rise, he had a knack for straight-up predicting how his fights would end — and then making those predictions come true.
From his first UFC main event against Diego Brandao in Ireland, to his knockout win over Dustin Poirier, to his legendary
13-second knockout of Jose Aldo to win the Featherweight title, McGregor made a career out of calling his shot and then delivering.
“You can call me Mystic Mac, because I predict these things,” McGregor famously said after knocking out Poirier in 2014.
But with McGregor out of the Octagon for five years and riding a two-fight losing streak, does “Mystic Mac” still exist?
According to McGregor, absolutely.
And he already knows how his rematch with Holloway is going to play out.
“It’s going to be a demolition,” McGregor told CBS Sports on Paramount+. “It’s going to be an absolute demolition. I know the damage he’s taken. I will just have to touch him, and after that, it will be clinical. To win alone is not enough; it must be spectacular.”
McGregor also believes his five-year absence from competition will play a major role in his performance. While most fighters would be worried about ring rust, “The Notorious” sees rest, recovery and freshness.
“I look at the rest period that I have had, where I look at other competitors in the space, including my opponent,” McGregor said. “I feel a lot more fresher than these opponents. I’ve had my time of rest, and I feel I’m coming into my prime now. I’ve only entered my prime for now and forever, so that is my mindset going in here.”
McGregor may be ultra-confident, and the “Mystic Mac” persona might be fully loaded again, but there are still plenty of questions.
“The Notorious” is 37 years old and turns 38 just three days after UFC 329. He has not fought since 2021, has not won a fight since 2020, and is returning against one of the most durable and battle-tested fighters in UFC history.
Father Time, as always, remains undefeated.
Oddsmakers are not exactly buying the comeback magic yet, either. McGregor is currently a +210 underdog to Holloway.
Still, if McGregor somehow turns back the clock and demolishes Holloway the way he says he will, then “Mystic Mac” will officially be back.
And UFC 329 will get a whole lot crazier.
Checkout the rest of the card right here.
