Conor McGregor has made comments about his former rival Khabib Nurmagomedov while preparing for UFC 329. The mixed martial arts event takes place on July 11, 2026, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. McGregor faces Max Holloway in a welterweight rematch on the main card. This marks McGregor’s return to the octagon after a long break caused by a leg injury from 2021.
McGregor revisited his loss to Khabib at UFC 229 in 2018. He said he was not at his best during that fight because he had been out late and was not focused on training. McGregor stated that Khabib has not done much in mixed martial arts since their fight. He pointed out that Khabib had only 13 fights in the UFC and faced a small number of well known opponents. McGregor also noted that Khabib did not record many knockouts or submissions in his career.
In the same discussion, McGregor compared himself to other fighters in the sport. He placed himself ahead of Jon Jones in some rankings and said he would have beaten Georges St-Pierre. These remarks tie into McGregor’s long history of speaking about his place among top fighters.
UFC 329 serves as the setting for McGregor’s comeback. The event includes several other bouts on the card. McGregor’s statements about Khabib come during the promotion period for his fight with Holloway. The two first fought in 2013, when McGregor won by decision. Holloway is moving up in weight for the rematch. McGregor’s comments connect his past rivalry with his current preparation and return to competition.