LAS VEGAS — Clad in another fancy suit and a pair of UFC belts on both shoulders, Conor McGregor showed up on time.
McGregor, the star Irish mixed martial artist, was over an hour and a half late to his scheduled time slot at UFC 329 media day on Wednesday. For Thursday's UFC 329 press conference at T-Mobile Arena, free and open to fans, McGregor's rare promptness allowed the show to start as scheduled at 7 p.m. PDT.
Thousands of supporters filled both sides of T-Mobile Arena, eager to get a free glimpse of McGrgeor as he returns to the octagon after a five-year hiatus. Spotted in the crowd were about a dozen Hawaiian flags in support of the man he's set to fight against on Saturday night, Max Holloway.
Though the UFC 329 presser also featured lightweights Paddy Pimblett and Benoit Saint Denis, the co-main event of the card, McGregor and his undeniable gift of gab controlled the crowd like none other on Thursday.
Both Holloway and McGregor spoke with complete confidence in predicting what will happen when the cage gets locked on Saturday night.
“I’m going to destroy Max. I am going to eliminate Max," McGregor said. "The final opponent of mine still within the UFC ranks. All of my other opponents are gone. Max is the last one left, and Saturday night, he gets eliminated for good.”
Said Holloway: "I hope he knows how to swim. I’m drowning his a**."
Wai‘anae's Max Holloway fields questions during the UFC 329 press conference on Thursday at T-Mobile Arena. Photo by Christian Shimabuku (Aloha State Daily Staff) 
Conor McGregor fields questions during the UFC 329 press conference on Thursday at T-Mobile Arena. Photo by Christian Shimabuku (Aloha State Daily Staff)
McGregor's influence on the UFC was one of the motivating factors in the organization landing a seven-year, $7.7 billion broadcasting rights deal with Paramount+ that runs from 2026 to 2033. While his return is welcomed by many die-hard fight fans, his legal troubles have becoming a polarizing issue for others.
Love him or hate him, the UFC is confident the world will be watching on Saturday, and McGregor's return has already served as an economic boon to the organization. Per TickPick, the average price of a ticket on Saturday will cost $1,537, surpassing the previous UFC record of $1,250 set by UFC 306 in September 2024, a special one-off event that took place at the Las Vegas Sphere.
McGregor's popularity and pull in the sport has allowed him to confidently speak down on his opponents.
“The entire game, along with Max (has tried to replicate McGregor)," he said on Thursday. "Max has added some shots of mine, even the carrying of his nation’s flag. I didn’t see that one before. He went on to do some good things. That’s why we’re here again. Saturday night, I’m gonna show the evolution of McGregor. Get out your notebook, the entire fight game. The Mac is back.”
When it was time for Holloway and McGregor to face off for the first time all week, Holloway took off his shirt to put on a life jacket, doubling down on his belief that he's going to drown McGregor. McGregor then flicked Holloway's sunglasses off, and the two men had to be separated.
“It’s gonna be a long night for Conor McGregor come Saturday night," Holloway said. "Taking him to deep waters.”
Said McGregor: “The Mac goes all night long, baby. All night we’re here. ... If we go into these deep waters, Max is going to be in a lot of trouble."
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Christian Shimabuku can be reached at christian@alohastatedaily.com.
