Conor McGregor Trashes Max Holloway and Justin Gaethje Ahead of UFC 329 Return

Conor McGregor has laid into his upcoming opponent, Max Holloway, and UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje for not being at his level.

Conor McGregor Trashes Max Holloway and Justin Gaethje Ahead of UFC 329 Return

Conor McGregor goes after Max Holloway and Justin Gaethje [via MMA Fighting and CBS Sports]

Conor McGregor is in the home stretch of his return to the octagon at UFC 329. The Irish phenom returns to the cage after a near half-decade layoff following his gruesome injury in 2021. As his return draws closer, the ‘Notorious’ has ramped up the trash talk towards not only his upcoming opponent, but also the UFC lightweight champion.

McGregor takes on Max Holloway at welterweight in his comeback to fighting. The former double champion holds a victory over the Hawaiian though that bout occurred 13 years ago. McGregor outstruck Holloway 71-32 in that fight and even landed 4 out of his 5 takedown attempts to controll ‘Blessed’ for 6 and half minutes of their 15-minute fight.

The former lightweight alleged that he didn’t notice any significant improvements from the ex-BMF title holder since they last fought. He then used his criticism of the 34-year-old as a segue to disparage another fighter who held the BMF title in Justin Gaethje. McGregor used MMA math to claim that since Holloway had a knockout victory over Gaethje by association, they were both not on his level.

I don’t really see it. I don’t see vast improvements…I sonned Max when I fought him last and I plan on doing the same again in more devastating fashion… Max flatlined Justin, face down, out cold. I don’t rate them. Not on my level.

Conor McGregor via UFC on Paramount

The Irishman also brought up how Holloway’s career fight time in the octagon was over 8 and half hours. This has signaled to the Road House star that the former featherweight champion has no power or finishing ability. However, Dustin Poirier, who has fought both men, has speculated that ‘Blessed’ will be more powerful in this upcoming fight.

Nonetheless, Justin Gaethje and Max Holloway have been competing at the top of the sport since Conor McGregor’s last outing in 2021. Holloway has fought 8 times since then with 3 of those fights being for the title. Similarly, Gaethje has also fought for the title twice since UFC 264, winning his most recent attempt by stopping the undefeated Ilia Topuria at the White House.

McGregor has expressed interest in fighting the ‘Highlight’ for the lightweight title if his return against Max Holloway goes to plan. In that pursuit, he has been lent the support of a former middleweight champion who also wants to see that fight transpire.

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Israel Adesanya believes Conor McGregor vs Justin Gaethje would “feed countries”

Somehow, despite all odds, Justin Gaethje is at the peak of his popularity and the lightweight division at the age of 37 after winning the UFC lightweight belt off Ilia Topuria at the White House. Moreover, Gaethje has confirmed that he has no intention of retiring following the biggest win of his career like welterweight legend Georges St-Pierre suggested.

Conor McGregor, Justin Gaethje, Israel Adesanya
Israel Adesanya wants to see Conor McGregor vs Justin Gaethje [via MMA Mania, MMA Fighting and IMDB]

As such, former two-time middleweight champion Israel Adesanya thinks the ‘Highlight’ could chase a lucrative fight against the biggest star in the sport, Conor McGregor. Adesanya believes that with McGregor’s return imminent and Gaethje being the lightweight champion, the stage could be set for them to finally clash.

Conor and Gaethje would feed families, it would feed countries. That would be crazy. It would feed everybody, World Vision.

Israel Adesanya said

‘The Last Stylebender’ proposed this in a video with Demetrious Johnson on YouTube where the two UFC legends broke down the recent UFC Freedom 250 card. Adesanya also asserted that Gaethje sitting front row at UFC 329 would be an ideal situation for him, regardless of whichever way the fight ends up going.

After all, even if the fight against the Irishman does not materialize, he also has history with Holloway. Gaethje suffered a KO loss at UFC 300, and has expressed interest in a rematch against Holloway.

So ultimately, the 37-year-old has options. However, a fight against Conor McGregor does pose to be more intriguing given it is a fresh matchup between two elite championship-level fighters in the twilight of their careers.

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