{"id":795027,"date":"2026-07-12T07:09:32","date_gmt":"2026-07-12T07:09:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/795027\/"},"modified":"2026-07-12T07:09:32","modified_gmt":"2026-07-12T07:09:32","slug":"ufc-329-results-sooo-about-last-night-mcgregor-vs-holloway-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/795027\/","title":{"rendered":"UFC 329 results: Sooo … About last night | McGregor vs. Holloway 2"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last night (Sat., July 11, 2026), Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) ventured forth to T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, for UFC 329<\/a>. I know it, you know it, your mother likely knows it: this was the return of the sport\u2019s biggest star Conor McGregor! After five years on the sidelines (or the yacht)<\/a>, The Mac was back in action against an old rival in Max Holloway, ready to put it all on the line. Lost in all the \u201cNotorious\u201d hubbub, however, was the pleasant surprise that the rest of the card was stacked with talent too! When former champions like Robert Whittaker and Cody Garbrandt are on the undercard, that\u2019s a serious indicator of a great event.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s take a look back over the best performances and techniques of the evening:<\/p>\n

\"LAS<\/a><\/p>\n

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JULY 11: (R-L) Max Holloway speaks to referee Mike Beltran while Conor McGregor of Ireland defends his position in a welterweight fight during the UFC 329 event at T-Mobile Arena on July 11, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger\/Zuffa LLC)<\/p>\n

Well \u2026 that was anticlimactic<\/a>.<\/p>\n

If you paid an ungodly amount of money to attend UFC 329, I understand being upset at the main event outcome: McGregor\u2019s knee imploding in the literal opening second. Similarly, if you\u2019re Max Holloway and just put in a lot of work to win a rematch, you have my sympathy. However, if, like me, you watched this unfortunate main event from the comfort of your living room for the usual cost of a Paramount+ subscription, there\u2019s no reason to be upset.<\/p>\n

UFC 329 was still an absolute banger of a fight card. Most every bout kicked ass. It didn\u2019t end up needing McGregor to be an awesome watch.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the Mac was old and washed when UFC 329 was booked, and he\u2019ll be old and washed whenever he returns from this newest knee injury. Maybe he\u2019ll rehire movement guru Ido Portal and avoid opening his next comeback with the dumbest flying kick of all time?<\/p>\n

See y\u2019all in five more years.<\/p>\n

\"LAS<\/a><\/p>\n

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JULY 11: (L-R) Paddy Pimblett of England wrestles Benoit Saint Denis of France in a lightweight fight during the UFC 329 event at T-Mobile Arena on July 11, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari\/Zuffa LLC)<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t think we can doubt Paddy Pimblett anymore.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Baddy\u201d scored the best win of his career in seconds last night, effortlessly strangling Benoit Saint-Denis in the opening minute of their highly-anticipated Lightweight clash. \u201cBSD\u201d threw two punches and then shot for a double-leg takedown along the fence, and Pimblett was extremely ready for him. Right away, Pimblett used a guillotine choke \u2014 without pulling guard \u2014 to reverse Saint-Denis to his back. As Saint-Denis tried to scramble to freedom, Pimblett instead transitioned to a d\u2019arce choke and managed to pull guard at the same time. Despite Saint-Denis\u2019 best efforts, he was unable to create any space and quickly took a nap.<\/p>\n

\u201cBSD\u201d had won four straight fights via finish leading into this matchup. He\u2019s in the prime of his career, a damn good Lightweight by any metric, and Pimblett just smoked him like a brisket. Complain about Pimblett\u2019s high chin and wonky boxing all you\u2019d like, but it must be accepted that only elite contenders are able to effortlessly trounce a proven Top 10 contender like that.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s finally time for Ilia Topuria vs. Paddy Pimblett.<\/p>\n

\"LAS<\/a><\/p>\n

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JULY 11: (R-L) Brandon Royval strikes Lone\u2019er Kavanagh of England in a flyweight fight during the UFC 329 event at T-Mobile Arena on July 11, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari\/Zuffa LLC)<\/p>\n

Brandon Royval did it again.<\/p>\n

Royval is not a perfect fighter. His undeniably effective kickboxing has a jank to it that seems permanently built into his game. He\u2019s not particularly hard to hit or take down. Yet, Royval\u2019s combination of endless cardio and relentless opportunism means that capitalizing on those flaws is a very dangerous task, one that even elite fighters fail to accomplish.<\/p>\n

\u201cRaw Dog\u201d started the fight well, using jabs and kick catches to frustrate the shorter man. He even landed a takedown of his own, which is a nice new wrinkle to his offense. In round two, however, Kavanagh cracked him with a beautiful pull counter, and Royval was forced to show off a different key aspect of his game: the ability to get his ass-kicked without crumbling! Kavanagh dropped the kitchen sink on Royval\u2019s forehead, rocking him multiple times and cutting him open, yet Royval still ended the second pushing forward and landing shots.<\/p>\n

The bloody brawling continued into round three, where a Royval takedown changed the course of the fight. Sharp elbows forced Kavanagh to concede bad positions, and Royval started attacking an arm triangle that soon led to a rear naked choke finish. It was brilliant work from the BJJ black belt, who was positively violent every time he managed to gain top position.<\/p>\n

Roughly half of a year after his knockout loss to Manel Kape, Royval is back in the win column, still Top Five and still one of the most fun fighters on the roster. Meanwhile, Kavanagh clearly has a ton of talent and some real grit himself, but he still has some lessons to learn if he\u2019s to be a champion someday.<\/p>\n

\"LAS<\/a><\/p>\n

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JULY 11: (L-R) King Green strikes Terrance McKinney in a lightweight fight during the UFC 329 event at T-Mobile Arena on July 11, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ed Mulholland\/Zuffa LLC)<\/p>\n

King Green has been in this game forever. He\u2019s not at his absolute best anymore, but the 39-year-old OG is still damn good. More importantly, he\u2019ll take on all comers and never back down from a fight. He has strong self-belief, the kind of confidence that leads a fighter to numerous come-from-behind wins across a long career.<\/p>\n

In many ways, Terrance McKinney is a perfect foil. In his athletic prime, McKinney is a physical monster, huge for the division with scary speed and power. He has all the physical tools to be a world champion. Unfortunately, McKinney has the most obvious fatal flaw in the division: he\u2019s going to fall apart three minutes into the first round every single time.<\/p>\n

King Green knew it too. Three minutes into the fight, Green was badly bloodied up with McKinney on his back, chasing the finish. Did Green look that concerned? I don\u2019t believe Green ever stopped talking trash even with McKinney behind him, and he actually started throwing punches behind his own shoulder as the fight wore on. The veteran knew the fight was over simply because of the clock, even if on paper McKinney had already built a monumental lead.<\/p>\n

True to form, Green got back to his feet with just seconds remaining in the round, and it only took a handful of punches to convince McKinney to crumble before the bell.<\/p>\n

King Green is a f\u2014king dog. Terrance McKinney? Not so much.<\/p>\n

\"LAS<\/a><\/p>\n

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JULY 11: (R-L) Robert Whittaker of New Zealand strikes Nikita Krylov of Ukraine in a light heavyweight fight during the UFC 329 event at T-Mobile Arena on July 11, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari\/Zuffa LLC)<\/p>\n

The Debut Of Light Heavyweight Bobby Knuckles<\/p>\n

I have been covering this sport long enough to remember when Robert Whittaker won his season of The Ultimate Fighter as a Welterweight. That victory came 14 years and 23 fights ago, and now Whittaker made the bold choice to enter the twilight of his career in a new weight class.<\/p>\n

The former Middleweight champion did not look like a full 205-pounder in his first divisional fight. In fact, he looked like he performed a Dragon Ball Z fusion dance with former opponent Kelvin Gastelum. Despite the new fridge physique, Whittaker\u2019s strength, speed, and cardio held up reasonably well. He was able to resist Krylov\u2019s early grappling assault, though it winded both of them. Afterward, Whittaker was still quick enough to beat Krylov to the punch and counter his many kicks with left hand shots.<\/p>\n

Once Whittaker got rolling, it was classic \u201cBobby Knuckles.\u201d The shotgun jab, double jab-cross, and hidden right high kick that fans know and love were all landing well. Those punches were hurting Krylov too, who definitely felt every clean connection from the former Middleweight king. The damage added up, culminating in an apparent broken jaw midway through the third that halted the contest.<\/p>\n

Can Whittaker contend in his new home? I wouldn\u2019t bet on it, yet \u201cThe Reaper\u201d does hold a fairly recent win over Paulo Costa, who currently occupies the No. 7 position<\/a> at Light Heavyweight. If Whittaker can dial in his weight a little bit, well, the division is wide open and crazier things have happened.<\/p>\n

I\u2019d like to see him face somebody like Dominick Reyes next.<\/p>\n

\"LAS<\/a><\/p>\n

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JULY 11: (R-L) Gable Steveson strikes Elisha Ellison in a heavyweight fight during the UFC 329 event at T-Mobile Arena on July 11, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger\/Zuffa LLC)<\/p>\n

Wrestling \u2026 Who Needs It?<\/p>\n

Not Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson, that\u2019s for sure.<\/p>\n

Now, Steveson enjoyed a massive edge in athleticism over Elisha Ellison, which makes it easier to neglect the wrestling and brawl it out. Still, Steveson deserves props. Just three fights into his pro career, Steveson took the center of the Octagon and performed well on his feet at a massive event. Ellison tried to take his head off and managed to land a couple decent shots, yet Steveson still ran over him like a freight train.<\/p>\n

The most impressive part of Steveson\u2019s attack was obviously that murderous front kick to the belly. Ellison ate two of those and looked like he wanted to go home. With a meanness that resembled his mentor Jon Jones, Steveson just kept stabbing his toes into the mid-section. As soon as Ellison\u2019s posture broke from the body shots, Steveson would jump on him with ripping hooks.<\/p>\n

Before too long, one of those hooks knocked Ellison cold. Steveson still has a long way to climb, but at 26, the division is wide open for a title run.<\/p>\n

\"LAS<\/a><\/p>\n

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JULY 11: (R-L) Alessandro Costa of Brazil strikes Cody Durden in a flyweight fight at T-Mobile Arena on July 11, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari\/Zuffa LLC)<\/p>\n

Adrian Yanez defeats Cody Garbrandt via first-round knockout (highlights)<\/a>: This scrap didn\u2019t last long, but it was quite fun. Contrary to his last performance, Garbrandt was extremely aggressive from the first bell, and he actually stung Yanez several times in the opening minute or so. Before too long, however, Yanez found his timing and demonstrated why he was the significant favorite. He started countering Garbrandt\u2019s blitzes with his right hand, and one of his counters rocked Garbrandt late in the round. Yanez followed up with an accurate pair of clubbing hooks that sealed the deal, putting Yanez back in the win column after a controversial draw with Ricky Simon.Luke Riley defeats Kai Kamaka III via first-round knockout: Kamaka started this bout really well, countering Riley\u2019s long stance and aggressive boxing with heavy calf kicks and some well-timed counter left hooks. When a Riley right hand found its way inside that left hook, however, all of his good work was quickly erased. Kamaka hit the floor hard but bounced back to his feet. Riley flurried and continued to land heavy blows, then the referee moved in even as Kamaka was slipping and trying to clinch. Was it a bad stoppage? I think Kamaka was unlikely to survive the barrage, but the 27-fight veteran deserved the chance to try and was still intelligently defending himself. Either way, Riley now moves to 3-0 in the UFC, and he remains a quality Featherweight prospect.Damian Pinas defeats Cesar Almeida via first-round knockout (highlights)<\/a>: There\u2019s a lot to like about \u201cThe Baba Yaga,\u201d a large Middleweight with great composure and world-altering knockout power. Opposite a real kickboxing ace in Almeida, Pinas was perfectly comfortable trading kicks and lining up his right hand. He consistently answered back in the face of his opponent\u2019s offense, and though he was initially a small step behind on the rhythm, he still found heavy low kicks and started to close in with his right. It only took a single clean right hand counter \u2014 perfectly timed to answer an inside low kick \u2014 to shut off the lights, announcing Pinas as a serious prospect at 185 pounds.Ryan Gandra defeats Zachary Reese via first-round knockout (highlights)<\/a>: There\u2019s not a lot to break down here, as Gandra exploded into a beautiful leaping left hook early in the fight, catching Reese cold on the chin while the two were still warming up to the fight. Clearly, \u201cProblema\u201d has big power in his hands, as he\u2019s now 2-0 inside the UFC with both wins coming via knockout. This was a serious step up in competition from his UFC debut, yet the fight lasted a mere 75 seconds. We\u2019ll have to stay tuned to get a sense of Gandra\u2019s overall potential and ceiling, but he\u2019s a lot of fun at a minimum.Alessandro Costa defeats Cody Durden via second-round rear naked choke (highlights)<\/a>: Costa has developed into a really solid Flyweight. Taking after his teammate Diego Lopes, Costa kept a high guard and consistent pressure, looking to time counters and build combinations. Durden started really well with his movement and combinations, but he was sprinting to do so. When his feet started slowing late in the first, Costa began finding the mark with combinations and quickly rocked the wrestler. Durden entered round two bloody and a little fatigued, highly vulnerable when he slipped on a high kick. Moments later, Costa smoothly advanced into back mount and secured the rear naked choke for his third-straight finish win.For complete UFC 329 results and play-by-play click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Last night (Sat., July 11, 2026), Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) ventured forth to T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":795028,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[570],"tags":[64,63,786,40762,785,85,318251,1396,179146,6656],"class_list":["post-795027","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-mma","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-fighting","tag-latest-ufc-mma-news","tag-mma","tag-sports","tag-ufc-329","tag-ufc-news","tag-ufc-on-paramount","tag-ufc-results"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/795027","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=795027"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/795027\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/795028"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=795027"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=795027"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=795027"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}