Saturday night in Las Vegas is about to get absolutely wild, because the biggest star in the UFC, Conor McGregor, is officially back after five years on the sidelines. Yeah, you read that right. Five. Years.
The Return of the Notorious
This isn't just any comeback, folks. This is a massive welterweight main event at UFC 329, going down live from the T-Mobile Arena. Remember that brutal broken leg McGregor suffered in his trilogy match against Dustin Poirier back in July 2021? That was the last time we saw him, and the anticipation has been building ever since. That Poirier loss was his second straight to Dustin, and his third in his last four fights, so you know he's got something to prove. He's stepping back into the Octagon against Max Holloway, a guy he beat way back in 2013. That first fight was at featherweight, super early in both their careers. But since then? Both of them have carved out legendary paths, racking up multiple championships. This isn't just a rematch, it's a clash of legends forged over a decade.
Pimblett's Redemption and Main Card Mayhem
And if McGregor vs. Holloway wasn't enough, we've got another European superstar ready to throw down in the co-main event: Paddy "The Baddy" Pimblett. He's bringing his action-packed style back to face rising lightweight contender Benoit Saint Denis. Pimblett's last outing in January saw him take his first UFC loss against the undisputed champion Justin Gaethje in what was a brutal brawl that went the distance. You know he's gotta be hungry. Paddy is hoping a strong showing against Saint Denis can catapult him right back into that title conversation. But don't sleep on "BSD" here, because Saint Denis has bounced back from a couple of tough losses himself and is sitting pretty near the top of the division. Talk about high stakes! We also get bantamweight stalwart Cory Sandhagen taking on Mario Bautista, and Brandon Royval welcoming newcomer Lone'er Kavanagh at flyweight. Plus, Terrance McKinney and King Green kick off the main card, two lightweight brawlers who are definitely looking to earn some performance bonuses.
Don't Miss International Fight Week's Biggest Night
This entire card is the highlight of UFC's annual International Fight Week, so you know it's going to deliver. You can catch all the action this Saturday, July 11, starting with the early prelims at 5 p.m. ET, prelims at 7 p.m. ET, and the main card kicking off at 9 p.m. ET. The live stream for all of it begins at 5:30 p.m. ET. You can watch every single punch, kick, and submission live on Paramount+ for no extra fee. Seriously, plans start as low as $8.99 a month or $89.99 for the whole year. Feeling lucky? Jump into the UFC Pick'em game on the CBS Sports App; picks close Saturday at 7 p.m. ET, and you could win $5000! Get ready, because this Saturday is going to be absolutely electric.
This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.