Israel Adesanya believes Conor McGregor could surprise many with how he fights at UFC 329.
McGregor is set to rematch Holloway at UFC 329 on July 11 in a highly anticipated fight. Although the Irishman is known for his striking ability, Adesanya thinks McGregor could surprise many and wrestle Holloway early and often as Charles Oliveira did, especially with the fight being at welterweight.
“Conor might get tired, he goes heavy from Round 1, 2, but I don’t think Max is going to get tired,” Adesanya told Demetrious Johnson (via MMAJunkie). “If Conor grapples, it might be the difference in this fight. But again, Max has just been in the trenches. He’s just been getting active, and Conor hasn’t fought since the Dustin(Poirier) fight (in 2021). He doesn’t believe in cage rust – I know that. But, reality is reality, and Max is reality.
“So dealing with that for your first fight back, I reckon he should have done the (Michael) Chandler fight. They have the story there. Chandler f*cking sat how many years of his career waiting for this fight? Regardless, it was too long. And I think Conor should have fought Michael Chandler in his fight back because it would have been – to come back and fight Max, a volume puncher, a guy who is just going to be in your face with legs, hands, that’s not an easy fight to come back to. But look, if anyone rises to the occasion, it’s ‘The Notorious’ one, Conor.”
If McGregor does grapple with Holloway, it would be a major surprise. However, McGregor is expected to be bigger and stronger. So he could follow a similar game plan to what Oliveira did to Holloway in the Hawaiian’s last fight.
Yet, Conor McGregor will likely rely on his striking against Max Holloway, despite him being off for five years and being a sizable underdog heading into the bout.
Do you think Conor McGregor will wrestle Max Holloway at UFC 329?
