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This content was machine-translated from the French version.
The annual International Fight Week extravaganza turned into a nightmare for the Irish superstar. On Saturday 11 July at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Conor McGregor made his return to the Octagon after a five-year absence. Thirteen years after their first bout, he faced Max Holloway again in the main event of UFC 329. The fight lasted only a few seconds: from the very first exchange, ‘The Notorious’’s knee gave way, leaving him on the ground, his face contorted with pain.
A cruel turn of events for the man who had vowed to reclaim his throne as king of the division. Holloway, showing class, did not celebrate his victory – secured due to injury – to any great extent. The Hawaiian has now secured a third consecutive win and re-established himself as a legitimate contender for the title.
A cruel turn of events for the man who had vowed to reclaim his throne as king of the division.
Saint-Denis caught in a trap
The other bout eagerly anticipated by the French public also came to an abrupt end. Benoît Saint-Denis, a former special forces soldier, pounced on Paddy Pimblett right from the start. But his aggression backfired. The Briton, known as much for his explosive comments as for his fighting style, seized the opportunity. A guillotine choke, a reposition, constant pressure: within sixty seconds, ‘BSD’ was tapping out. It was the Frenchman’s first submission defeat in the UFC, and his path to the top 15 has now been seriously clouded.
Pimblett, for his part, has confirmed that he is more than just a media sensation. His record now stands at 7-0 in the organisation, and he immediately called out a top-10 opponent for his next fight.
A lacklustre main card
The rest of the main card delivered technical bouts but lacked the spark that had been hoped for. Cory Sandhagen outpointed Mario Bautista in a tactical bantamweight bout. The unanimous decision was beyond dispute, but the Las Vegas crowd was left largely unmoved. Sandhagen remains in the title race, though he has not shaken up the pecking order.
In the lightweight division, Bobby Green got the better of Terrance McKinney in a bout disrupted by clinches. Green, a 39-year-old veteran, proved he can still hold his own against the younger generation.
Poirier’s farewell in the spotlight
This weekend, the UFC is already moving on to a Fight Night in Oklahoma City on 18 July, where Dricus Du Plessis will face Kamaru Usman in a clash with major implications for the middleweight division. But all eyes are already turning to UFC 318 on 20 July in New Orleans, where Dustin Poirier has announced he will bid farewell to MMA against Max Holloway — who could thus face two fights in nine days. It’s a packed schedule that keeps the UFC’s sizzling summer at its most intense.
A schedule that leaves no room to catch your breath
The July 2026 schedule illustrates the Californian organisation’s strategy to keep the audience on the edge of their seats following International Fight Week. With a rapid succession of events – UFC 329 in Las Vegas, Fight Night in Oklahoma City and UFC 318 in New Orleans – the summer schedule focuses on narrative continuity. Poirier, for his part, is preparing for his farewell with his characteristic discipline. This final bout against Holloway brings to a close a long-running rivalry that has shaped the recent history of the lightweight division. For the Hawaiian, accepting this fight whilst still recovering from UFC 329 is a sign of extraordinary commitment. The schedule is tight, but the prospect of bringing this chapter full circle seems to have outweighed caution. For the UFC, the strategy is clear: to turn this summer tour into a continuous narrative, and to give Poirier the send-off he deserves, in grand style.
