{"id":782659,"date":"2026-07-06T13:01:11","date_gmt":"2026-07-06T13:01:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/782659\/"},"modified":"2026-07-06T13:01:11","modified_gmt":"2026-07-06T13:01:11","slug":"morning-report-alexander-volkanovski-gives-his-prediction-for-conor-mcgregor-vs-max-holloway-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/782659\/","title":{"rendered":"Morning Report: Alexander Volkanovski gives his prediction for Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway 2"},"content":{"rendered":"

UFC 329 is just five days away, and with it, the return of Conor McGregor to the cage. And UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski thinks it could be a tough return for \u201cNotorious.\u201d<\/p>\n

On Saturday, McGregor rematches Max Holloway in the main event of UFC 329 in Las Vegas. It\u2019s McGregor\u2019s first fight in five years \u2014 since shattering his leg against Dustin Poirier in their trilogy fight \u2014 and questions abound about how the biggest star in MMA might look coming back amid these circumstances. McGregor, of course, is selling that he\u2019s better than ever, but Father Time catches up with everyone, and Volkanovski believes that\u2019s true for McGregor this weekend.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan he be that sharp? Can he be that good with his timing?\u201d Volkanovski asked on his YouTube channel. \u201cI don\u2019t believe he\u2019ll ever be that good again. But can he still have great timing, still be sharp, still have a good eye? 100 percent. I still think he\u2019s going to be able to hit Max. Max has got a great chin. I think he\u2019s going to have to rely on his chin a little bit.<\/p>\n

\u201cMax is much better now of being a little bit more defensive and not just trying to volume punch. He\u2019s going to know not to do that with someone like Conor, as well, because he could get caught big if he was to try and be the fighter that he was earlier in his career.\u201d<\/p>\n

But, of course, McGregor isn\u2019t the only fighter who may not be in his prime anymore. While Holloway is only 34 years old, he\u2019s been fighting professionally for 16 years, and has also looked like the mileage is starting to catch up with him. And Volkanovski, who has sent 75 minutes fighting Holloway, believes Max also has to accept that he\u2019s not the same fighter he once was if he\u2019s going to win on Saturday.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan he zap the life out of Conor pretty quickly? 100 percent,\u201d Volkanovski said. \u201cCan he rely on that volume striking to do so like he used to? No. I think that could lose him the fight.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe fighter that Max is today, I think he\u2019s going to be safe enough to not get hit too much. I think he still gets hit, but luckily he\u2019s still durable and still got a good chin, where he\u2019s going to survive some of those big shots and then just start to have his way even later in the first round. And then you\u2019re going to probably see him start to do his thing.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople think Max is just going to walk through him from the start. It ain\u2019t gonna be that easy. He\u2019s going to have big problems early, and I think Max is going to have to give him that respect, and not let him land them big shots. So, maybe be we don\u2019t see him be as successful as he could be if Max was just like, \u2018He\u2019s done,\u2019 and wanted to be quite aggressive. [Conor] could definitely give Max some problems.\u201d<\/p>\n

But Volkanovski doesn\u2019t think Holloway will make that mistake, though. And in fact, he believes that Holloway is in line to add another finish to his already Hall-of-Fame worthy r\u00e9sum\u00e9.<\/p>\n

\u201cMax is going to be clever enough where we won\u2019t really see that,\u201d Volkanovski said. \u201cBut I still think that Conor will be dangerous enough where we\u2019re going to be like, \u2018Oh shit!\u2019 Max needs to be careful. But I think he\u2019s going to do the right things to make them adjustments, stay out of the big, big danger, maybe when he gets hit, maybe not running into them big shots as much, which he could survive those big shots from Conor, and then he\u2019s just going to eventually have his way.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m gonna have to go Max Holloway for the win. Could it be a finish? 100 percent. If Max gets you tired, he\u2019s so good at going for the kill. \u2026 I think it\u2019s just going to be too much for Conor, and you\u2019re going to see Max get his hand raised, maybe get a finish.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roundtable. Ahead of UFC 329, the MMA Fighting crew asks:<\/p>\n

Draft. A rundown of the MMA Fighting Season 5 Fantasy Draft.<\/a><\/p>\n

Awards. Check out MMA Fighting\u2019s selections for Fighter,<\/a> Fight,<\/a> Submission,<\/a> and Knockout<\/a> of the Midyear as we turn the page to the second half of 2026.<\/p>\n

Mailbag. Introducing the Teenage MMAutant Ninja Turtles.<\/a><\/p>\n

Independence. Justin Gaethje returns to the White House and more July 4 celebrations from the MMA world.<\/a><\/p>\n

TUF. The latest recap from The Ultimate Fighter 34<\/a> contestant, Xavier Franklin, features a fighter almost going missing during a mountain run.<\/p>\n

Showtime. Austin Trout delivers spectacular BKFC entrance<\/a> before getting clocked.<\/p>\n

Missed Fists. The bell rings and a fighter immediately taps out.<\/a><\/p>\n

It\u2019s time for the MMA Fighting Fantasy Draft for the second half of 2026!<\/p>\n

Damon Martin chats with Max Holloway ahead of UFC 329.<\/p>\n

Jos\u00e9 Youngs talks Anything But Fighting with Kyle Daukaus.<\/p>\n

Max Holloway BTS for EA UFC 6.<\/p>\n

Ranking Conor\u2019s best finishes.<\/p>\n

AK goes toe-to-toe with his fellow Canadian Aaron Bronsteter in the latest Main Card Minute.<\/p>\n

SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE<\/p>\n

Bro ain\u2019t hitting a damn thing.<\/p>\n

Never had a UFC fighter speak at my school :\\<\/p>\n

Santiago Ponzinibbio (30-9) vs. Sam Patterson (14-3-1); UFC Abu Dhabi, July 25<\/p>\n

Mateusz Gamrot (26-4) vs. Quillan Salkilld (12-1); UFC Vegas 120, Aug. 8<\/p>\n

Reiner de Ridder (21-4) vs. Roman Dolidze (15-5); UFC Sacramento, Aug. 22<\/p>\n

Jordan Burroughs vs. Sean Brady (wrestling); RAF 12, Aug. 22<\/p>\n

Umar Nurmagomedov (20-1) vs. Song Yadong (23-9-1, 1 NC); UFC Shanghai, Aug. 29<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Mailbag! Send in your questions!<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

It’s that time, y’all. <\/p>\n

We had an off week in MMA, but now we’re back in a big way, with the return of Conor McGregor. <\/p>\n

Got questions? Send them here and I’ll answer them in this week’s mailbag column, or in the responses below.<\/p>\n

Thanks! Love y’all!<\/p>\n

\"\"\/Rec 0CommentsThin Stroke Comment Icon BubbleReplyRead 7 replies<\/p>\n

Hope everyone had a fine Fourth of July weekend (or Canada Day celebrations, I see you). There\u2019s little rest of the MMA wicked however, as we gear up for UFC 329 Fight Week and\u2014believe it or not\u2014the return of Conor McGregor.<\/p>\n

Also, good luck to my fellow MMA Fighting Fantasy GMs.<\/p>\n

If you find something you\u2019d like to see in the Morning Report, hit up @AlexanderKLee<\/a> of @JedKMeshew<\/a> on Twitter and let us know about it. Also, follow MMAFighting on Twitter<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, YouTube<\/a>, TikTok<\/a>, Twitch<\/a>, and like us on Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n