McGregor return gets new tension
Conor McGregor’s UFC return gained new tension after Charles Oliveira said he expected the matchup following his March win over Max Holloway for the BMF belt in Las Vegas.
Instead, McGregor is scheduled to face Holloway on July 11 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, leaving Oliveira to question why he was not chosen after winning there.
Oliveira points to a missed chance
Oliveira said the McGregor fight was never formally offered to him, but he believed the path became clear after his March win over Holloway for the BMF belt.
He said the Holloway winner was expected to face McGregor next, which made the final booking feel like a missed chance after his BMF title victory in March.
The Holloway win changed expectations
Oliveira entered this discussion after winning a dominant five-round decision over Holloway at UFC 326, where he claimed the BMF belt in Las Vegas against a former champion.
That result strengthened Oliveira’s case for a major follow-up fight, but Holloway instead became McGregor’s scheduled opponent for the July 11 UFC 329 card in Nevada soon after.
Oliveira questions the choice
Oliveira said McGregor chose Holloway because he viewed that matchup as an easier path instead of facing him after the March BMF title fight in Las Vegas.
The claim sharpened the comeback story because Oliveira framed the booking as McGregor’s strategic choice, not as an official offer that he lost or rejected outright in talks.
Gaethje remains Oliveira’s target
Even while discussing McGregor, Oliveira still wants Justin Gaethje next because that matchup would connect the UFC lightweight title with the BMF belt in one future fight plan.
That preference shows Oliveira looking beyond the missed McGregor chance while using the interview to press his case for a larger title-related opportunity against Gaethje in his return.
McGregor carries a long layoff
Oliveira also pointed to McGregor’s time away from the octagon, noting that he has not fought since facing Dustin Poirier in a July 2021 Las Vegas UFC event.
That absence adds uncertainty to UFC 329 because McGregor’s last fight ended with a leg fracture, after he also lost to Poirier earlier in another UFC main event.
Early danger still follows McGregor
Despite questioning the layoff, Oliveira warned that McGregor remains dangerous because one mistake can give him the opening needed to land a fight-changing strike in the first rounds.
That view kept his analysis measured, since Oliveira criticized the matchup choice while still recognizing McGregor’s ability to catch an opponent during the opening rounds of a contest.
Holloway brings 5-round habits
Oliveira highlighted Holloway’s comfort in longer contests, noting that his last 17 fights were scheduled for 5 rounds against experienced UFC opponents across weight classes and title settings.
That background matters because Holloway reached championship rounds in 12 of those fights, giving him a proven rhythm if the July bout stretches deep against McGregor in Las Vegas.
The opening rounds matter most
Oliveira said the first and second rounds favor McGregor, especially if he can impose his game early and force Holloway into difficult exchanges before fatigue builds later on.
That window gives McGregor his clearest route, because Oliveira believes his best chance depends on landing early before Holloway’s pace becomes more valuable in later rounds over time.
Momentum may shift later
After the early rounds, Oliveira expects the balance to move toward Holloway, whose durability and 5-round experience become more useful as the fight continues deeper into rounds.
That later stage gives Holloway a stronger route, because McGregor’s long break leaves questions about pace, timing, and output if the fight keeps moving forward under late pressure.
Holloway faces familiar pressure
Holloway enters the McGregor bout after losing to Oliveira in March, making the July 11 assignment another major fight after his BMF setback in Las Vegas months ago.
His role changes the story because he now stands in the position Oliveira believed he earned by defeating him for the BMF belt earlier this year in March.
Las Vegas stage raises stakes
The July 11 event at T-Mobile Arena gives McGregor’s comeback a major stage, with Holloway listed opposite him on the UFC 329 card in Las Vegas again soon.
That setting matters because Oliveira’s comments arrived before a high-profile Las Vegas return, turning the booking into a wider debate about McGregor’s opponent choice for UFC 329.
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Oliveira keeps the debate alive
Oliveira’s remarks keep attention on the fight he says he did not receive, while McGregor and Holloway continue toward their scheduled Las Vegas meeting at UFC 329.
The result leaves two stories running together as McGregor prepares for his return and Oliveira pushes his case toward Gaethje and the division’s larger title stakes.
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Which matchup interests you more after Oliveira’s comments, McGregor versus Holloway or Oliveira versus Gaethje, and why? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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