McGregor targets UFC 329 return — five opponents waiting

Nearly five years of silence, one broken leg, and now Dana White is confirming the machinery is moving. Conor McGregor is heading back to the UFC, with July 11 in Las Vegas circling as the date. The comeback lands at welterweight — 77 kilograms — a division choice that nobody saw coming and one that immediately reshapes the entire conversation around his return.

<a href="/tag/conor-mcgregor/">Conor McGregor</a> last stepped inside the octagon in July 2021, when Dustin Poirier broke his leg mid-fight at <a href="/tag/ufc/">UFC</a> 264. What followed was a long, frustrating rehabilitation — and four and a half years of speculation. Now White has gone on record: the return is being built, and UFC 329 is the target date.

The welterweight decision is the first real surprise. McGregor built his legacy at featherweight and lightweight, not at 77 kilograms. Fighting at welterweight signals he wants a bigger frame, more power, and perhaps opponents who carry less wrestling threat than the lightweight division's current top tier.

Five names on the shortlist

Max Holloway is the name that keeps coming up first. McGregor beat him back in 2013, but fans have been calling for a rematch ever since. Holloway has become a completely different fighter since then — a former champion with devastating power and recent victories over elite competition.

Charles Oliveira is the most dangerous name on the list. The Brazilian recently dominated Holloway and brings a complete grappling game that would challenge McGregor immediately. His wrestling and submission threat make him the highest-risk opponent on the shortlist.

Jorge Masvidal and Dan Hooker both fit the stylistic mold McGregor prefers: fighters who stand and trade. A striking-based fight suits his strengths, and either matchup would sell itself on personality alone.

The Pimblett wildcard

Then there is Paddy Pimblett. A fight between two of Europe's biggest combat sports names would be a commercial event on a different scale. Pimblett has the profile, the mouth, and the fan base to fill that role — and the rivalry would write itself.

McGregor remains the UFC's most commercially valuable fighter regardless of divisional politics. His fights sell out arenas and generate viewership numbers no other name on the roster consistently matches. White knows that, which is exactly why the organization is investing in this return rather than waiting for McGregor to come to them.

He also made history as the first fighter to simultaneously hold two UFC titles — featherweight and lightweight — a record that still stands. Opponents like Jose Aldo and Eddie Alvarez define the level he operated at during his peak.

At welterweight, McGregor steps into a division where his name carries more weight than his ranking. UFC 329 in Las Vegas on July 11 now has the kind of headline that moves pay-per-view numbers globally — and the five fighters waiting in line all know exactly what a win over McGregor would mean for their careers.