International Fight Week delivers its biggest night on Saturday. This UFC 329 Full Card Preview and Predictions covers one of the most stacked numbered events in recent years. McGregor returns after five years away from the sport. The card runs 14 fights deep with genuine stakes from the main event down to the early prelims.
Five main card fights carry real divisional stakes from welterweight down to flyweight. The prelims add former champions and unbeaten prospects on top of that. Here is the full breakdown of every fight heading into July 11 at T-Mobile Arena.
UFC 329 Event Overview
UFC 329 takes place Saturday, July 11, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is the centerpiece of the 14th Annual UFC International Fight Week. The main card streams on Paramount+ at 9 PM ET, with prelims at 7 PM ET and early prelims at 5 PM ET.
This is the promotion’s biggest and most important event of the summer season. Three former UFC champions appear across the main card and the prelims. Both the welterweight and lightweight divisions carry direct title-picture implications for the fighters on Saturday. For official rankings and matchup details, see the UFC 329 event page.
Main Event Breakdown — Conor McGregor vs Max Holloway
The biggest return in UFC history is finally here. McGregor has not competed since July 2021, when a broken ankle ended his trilogy fight with Poirier in round one. That return was delayed twice before this welterweight rematch with Holloway was finalized.
McGregor enters this fight with a 22-6 record, going 1-3 in his last four bouts. His most recent win came via TKO over Cerrone in January 2020. He enters welterweight territory for the first time in his career. At 37 years old, five years away from competition is the biggest unknown heading into Saturday.
Holloway (27-9) has not stood still during McGregor’s long absence. He went 5-3 in that period with wins over Rodriguez, Allen, Korean Zombie, Gaethje, and Poirier. His three losses came in title fights against Oliveira, Topuria, and Volkanovski. He arrives at welterweight for the first time in clearly better form than his opponent. Check out our full UFC news coverage for more on both fighters’ recent form.
Their first meeting was at featherweight in August 2013 in Boston. McGregor won by unanimous decision with Holloway aged just 21. Neither man resembles who they were that night. McGregor brings knockout power and hunger; Holloway brings volume, durability, and five years of continuous activity.
Our Prediction: Holloway wins by unanimous decision. The five-year activity gap is too wide, and Holloway’s volume at the new weight class gives him a sustainable route across 25 minutes that McGregor’s current form does not convincingly answer.
Co-Main Event — Benoit Saint Denis vs Paddy Pimblett
This lightweight co-main event carries more than individual ambitions. The winner moves toward a title eliminator with Gaethje holding the belt. Both Tsarukyan and Oliveira are waiting directly behind the winner. This is the fight with the clearest path to a title shot on the card.
Saint Denis (17-2) is ranked No. 5 at lightweight and enters on a four-fight winning streak. His most recent win was a second-round TKO of Dan Hooker at UFC 325 in February. All 17 of his career wins have come by stoppage: 11 submissions and six knockouts.
Pimblett (23-4) is ranked No. 6 and returns from his first UFC loss. That defeat came against Gaethje at UFC 324 in January in a fight for the interim lightweight title. He went 7-0 inside the UFC before that result, with ten career submission finishes already on record.
The key question is where this fight takes place. Saint Denis averages over four takedown attempts per 15 minutes and has a 100 percent career finish rate. Pimblett defends takedowns at just 44 percent, which is the most exploitable gap in his game against this opponent.
Our Prediction: Saint Denis wins by submission in round two. His 100 percent career finish rate combined with Pimblett’s 44 percent takedown defense is the most predictable outcome on the card.
UFC 329 Main Card Predictions
Cory Sandhagen vs Mario Bautista (Bantamweight)
Sandhagen comes off an unsuccessful bantamweight title challenge and remains one of the division’s most creative strikers. Bautista has gone 9-1 in his last ten Octagon outings and carries real momentum. Sandhagen’s striking variety and experience give him the edge in a competitive fight that should stay on the feet.
Our Prediction: Sandhagen wins by unanimous decision.
Brandon Royval vs Lone’er Kavanagh (Flyweight)
Royval returns to the flyweight main card after back-to-back defeats in 2025. Kavanagh went 4-1 since joining the UFC in late 2024 and brings real finishing ability over a relatively short sample size. Royval’s experience, submission hunting, and UFC pedigree give him the clear edge across three rounds.
Our Prediction: Royval wins by submission in round two.
King Green vs Terrance McKinney (Lightweight)
Green enters on a three-fight winning streak against a fighter who scored a 24-second head kick knockout in his most recent outing in March. McKinney’s finishing power makes this an early bonus contender. Green’s veteran experience should keep him competitive, but McKinney’s speed and power are a genuine threat from the opening bell.
Our Prediction: McKinney wins by KO in round one.
Prelims to Watch at UFC 329
Robert Whittaker makes his light heavyweight debut against Nikita Krylov in the first fight off the main card. Whittaker is a two-time former middleweight champion stepping up a division for the first time. His wrestling base and defensive skills give him a credible path even at an unfamiliar weight, but Krylov is a proven finisher at 205 pounds.
Gable Steveson makes his long-awaited UFC debut against Elisha Ellison in the prelims. Steveson is an Olympic gold medalist in wrestling and a former NCAA champion, making him one of the most anticipated debuts of 2026.
Cody Garbrandt faces Adrian Yanez in a fan-friendly bantamweight clash. Both men carry knockout power and minimal defensive patience, which historically produces fireworks in the opening rounds. For more upcoming fight breakdowns like this, browse our UFC predictions archive.
Key Battles That Will Decide the Event
Whether McGregor lands his left hand early enough to force a stoppage before Holloway’s volume takes over is the defining question of the main event. In the co-main, the first takedown exchange will determine whether Saint Denis gets Pimblett to the ground or whether Pimblett creates the separation his striking game needs to operate.
Our Sharpest Pick of the Night
Saint Denis to finish Pimblett in round two. His 100 percent career finish rate is the most reliable statistic on the entire card, and Pimblett’s 44 percent takedown defense is the gap that makes it happen.
UFC 329 FAQs
When is UFC 329? UFC 329 takes place Saturday, July 11, 2026, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main card starts at 9 PM ET on Paramount+, with prelims at 7 PM ET and early prelims at 5 PM ET.
Who is fighting in the UFC 329 main event? Conor McGregor faces Max Holloway in a welterweight rematch. Their first meeting was at featherweight in August 2013, with McGregor winning by unanimous decision.
What is the UFC 329 co-main event? Benoit Saint Denis faces Paddy Pimblett at lightweight. Both fighters are ranked in the top six of the division and the winner is expected to move toward a title eliminator fight.
Where can I watch UFC 329? UFC 329 streams live on Paramount+ in the United States with no additional pay-per-view fee. The main card begins at 9 PM ET on July 11.
Conclusion
UFC 329 arrives as the most anticipated numbered event of 2026 and the card earns that billing. The main event gives the sport a story years in the making. The co-main between Saint Denis and Pimblett delivers the clearest title-picture fight on the full card.
Whittaker makes his light heavyweight debut and Steveson enters the UFC for the first time on the prelims. Garbrandt brings knockout power to the bantamweight slot. This card rewards full attention from the first early prelim to the final bell in Las Vegas.
