McGregor at the UFC weigh-in. Photo: Reproduction/Facebook/UFC
On the eve of returning to the octagon to lead the UFC 329, Conor McGregor He received an important vote of confidence from one of the professionals who participated in his training as a fighter. the irish, which faces Max Holloway In the main event, on July 11th in Las Vegas, the fighter was praised by his boxing coach, Phil Sutcliffe. According to the veteran, the former champion's main weapons remain the same.
During an appearance on the Countdown program, published on the official UFC YouTube channel, Sutcliffe highlighted that McGregor's distinguishing feature has never been just his knockout power, but his ability to control the pace of the fight and anticipate his opponents' movements. This characteristic could be decisive against Holloway, known for imposing an intense pace and landing a high volume of strikes throughout the five rounds.
See too
"The magic lies in your game reading, Conor. In your ability to make the opponent make mistakes, and you have that ability, and you'll never lose it," the coach stated.
According to Sutcliffe, this quality was fundamental in transforming McGregor into one of the biggest names in UFC history. In the coach's view, even after years marked by injuries and a long period of inactivity, the Irishman remains able to see opportunities within the fight like few other athletes.
Against Holloway, the expectation is that the Irishman will rely precisely on the precision of his counter-attacks and distance reading to neutralize the Hawaiian's traditionally high volume of strikes. The rematch, almost 13 years after their first duel, could redefine the future of both fighters and put the winner back at the center of the organization's main competitions.
Conor McGregor training to the limit.
🇮🇪💪 Conor McGregor is pushing himself to his limits to prepare for Max Holloway
⚡️Phil Sutcliffe: “The magic is in your reading Conor. With your ability to make someone miss, and you have that ability, and you're never gonna lose that.”
🎥 @ufc pic.twitter.com/s00IOZ62mB
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) July 5, 2026
Period of inactivity increases pressure on McGregor
McGregor promotes UFC event. Photo: Reproduction/YouTube/UFC
At 37 years old, McGregor is trying to end a drought that has lasted more than six years. His last victory was in January 2020, when he defeated... Donald Cerrone in just 40 seconds. Since then, the Irishman has suffered two consecutive defeats to Dustin poirier and did not return to competition after suffering a serious leg fracture during a fight held in July 2021.
The long period away from the sport has transformed the duel against Holloway into one of the most important moments of his recent career. A victory could put the former champion back among the organization's top topics, while another defeat would increase doubts about his ability to compete at a high level.
First fight between Conor McGregor and Max Holloway
The fight took place at UFC Fight Night 26 in Boston in August 2013, early in both fighters' UFC careers. Conor had the advantage, winning by unanimous decision. The fight occurred years before the Irishman won the featherweight title (up to 65,7 kg) in 2015 and became the first to win the title in two weight classes in the UFC, in 2016 against Eddie Alvarez in the lightweight division.
Max Holloway, was BMF champion, won against Justin gaethje No. UFC 300, with a historic knockout in the last 10 seconds and defended against Dustin poirier, before losing to Charles Oliveira at UFC 326 in March. Before moving up a weight class, the Hawaiian won the featherweight title and defended it four times.
Read More about: martial arts, Conor, Conor McGregor, Max Holloway, MMA, UFC
Comments