LOS ANGELES.- Conor McGregor will return to the octagon UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) for the first time in five years when facing Max Holloway on July 11 in vegasthe organization reported on Saturday.
The Irishman, a former champion in two divisions and still one of the most popular and profitable figures in the UFC, has not fought since the defeat against Dustin Poirier on July 10, 2021, a fight in which he suffered a broken leg.
The fight at UFC 329 will be a rematch of McGregor’s second UFC appearance, in August 2013, when he defeated Holloway in Boston despite suffering a torn knee ligament during the fight.
The 37-year-old had also pulled out of a fight scheduled for June 2024 due to a toe injury.
McGregor also faced multiple problems outside the octagon.
In 2024, he was found liable in a civil trial and sentenced to pay nearly $250,000 to a woman who accused him of rape in Ireland.
In December, another woman who accused McGregor of sexual assault during a NBA in Miami He withdrew his civil suit, after authorities previously decided not to pursue criminal charges.
A month earlier, McGregor was suspended for 18 months after missing three doping tests in a 12-month period, although he avoided a major sanction after Combat Sports Anti-Doping acknowledge his cooperation in the investigation.
The UFC announced the fight during the first MMA event organized by Most Valuable Promotionsthe promoter of the youtuber turned boxer Jake Paul.
The card held in Los Angeles was also marked by the return of Ronda Rousey facing Gina Carano.
Rousey wins in 17 seconds
The American Ronda Rousey (13-2) won this Saturday over his compatriot Gina Carano (7-2) in 17 seconds in a historic fight between two of the great MMA leaders, in a fight held at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.
Rousey, 39 years old and who had not fought since her loss at UFC 207 against Amanda Nunes In 2016, he attacked immediately and with an arm lock he decided the fight in his favor in the first round.
“Gina is my hero, she changed my world and together we changed the world,” Rousey said. “I think it was a nice martial arts fight, it was a work of art. Thank you to all the people who made a sacrifice so I could be here.”
Carano accepted defeat with a smile on her face and then got involved in a hug that brought the two great MMA leaders in the female branch to tears.
“I wanted the fight to last a little longer, fighting in front of a legend was a victory, I wanted to fight and I couldn’t do it,” Carano said.
The evening was marked by the constant presence of the professional boxer and today promoter, the American Jake Paul.
The event was the first of its kind within MMA for the promoter. Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) and was broadcast worldwide on Netflix.
In other results, the Cuban Robelis Despaigne (6-2) triumphed by knockout in the first round over the Brazilian Junior dos Santos (23-11), while the fighter of Mexican origin Nate Diaz (21-14) fell to the American Mike Perry (15-8).
