MMA
UFC 329 Predictions: McGregor vs Holloway
William Hill News previews UFC 329 as International Fight Weeks reaches its climax in Las Vegas, with Cono McGregor returning to the octagon after almost five years to face former featherweight champion Max Holloway in a rematch 13 years in the making.
Elsewhere on the card sees Liverpool’s Paddy Pimblett looking to bounce back after his first UFC loss to Justin Gaethje. The scouser will be hungry for redemption against France’s Benoit Saint Denis in the lightweight co-main event.
McGregor vs Holloway
The pair first met back in 2013 when McGregor won by unanimous decision in a featherweight bout early in both men’s UFC careers. This time it is a welterweight main event under the Vegas lights, and the stakes could not be more different.
McGregor’s comeback is the story of the year so far, but years of inactivity is an enormous obstacle to overcome against an opponent who has been fighting elite competition throughout that entire gap. Holloway’s volume, pressure, and durability make him a nightmare stylistic match for a fighter returning from a serious leg injury with no recent round sunder his belt.
McGregor’s left hand remains a threat in the opening exchanges, and if he cannot find it early, the fight is likely to get away from him as the intensity increases. Holloway’s chin, work rate, and superior recent form should be enough to see him through a comfortable win against one of the biggest names in UFC history.
Conor McGregor – 7/4 | Max Holloway – 4/9
Our prediction: Max Holloway To Win by KO – 4/5
Pimblett vs Saint Denis
Pimblett’s jiu-jitsu is his best route to victory here, and he has ten submission wins on his record to prove it. If he can drag Saint Denis into deep water and use his size advantage at range, there is a route to a big statement win. But that plan relies on avoiding the Frenchman’s left kick and heavy hands long enough to get there.
Saint Denis arrives full of confidence after wins over Beneil Dariush and Dan Hooker, both within the distance. His judo background makes him just as dangerous in the clinch and on the mat as he is on his feet, and few lightweights offer him a clean path to a finish quite like this one.
Pimblett went the distance with Justin Gaethje in January, proving he can absorb punishment and keep coming forward over 25 minutes. But Saint Denis might be a different animal entirely. The Frenchman has finished all four of his last opponents within two rounds, and his combinations of heavy hands and suffocating top control is built to punish exactly the kind of defensive lapses Pimblett showed against Gaethje.
Saint Denis just edges this one, either through an early finish if he can catch Pimblett clean, or by grinding out a decision if the Scouser survives the opening storm.
Paddy Pimblett – 6/5 | Benoit Saint-Denis – 4/6
Our Prediction: Benoit Saint-Denis by Decision – 9/2
Spokesperson for William Hill, Lee Phelps, said: “McGregor’s return is one of the biggest stories in combat sports this year, and the excitement around this fight has been reflected in the betting.
“Holloway’s recent activity and form make him a dangerous 4/9 shot against an ageing McGregor who will need to dust off some cobwebs after five years on the sideline.
“It’s a similar story in the co-main event, where Saint-Denis’ (4/6) recent finishing form has edged him ahead of Pimblett (6/5) in the odds. But with much less separating these two in the betting, the tale of the Scouser and the Frenchman may just take centre stage on the night.
*Prices accurate at the time of writing – odds subject to change*
