Max Holloway enters UFC 329 as the significant betting favourite, and the activity argument alone makes that understandable. But a close look at his last three fights reveals cracks that Conor McGregor’s specific skillset is perfectly positioned to exploit.
What Max Holloway’s Last Three UFC Fights Actually Show
Against Charles Oliveira at UFC 326, Holloway was comprehensively outworked. Oliveira landed 110 total strikes to Holloway’s 73, controlled the fight for over 20 minutes, and attempted 13 takedowns while landing five. Holloway had zero takedowns and under two minutes of control. The Hawaiian was dominated in a way that raised genuine questions about his output at 155-pounds.
Against Dustin Poirier, at UFC 318, Holloway showed his best version, dropping Poirier early and winning a war across five rounds. However, Poirier wobbled ‘Blessed’ with a left hand and a right cross, scoring a knockdown of his own in round two, confirming that Holloway’s chin, while resilient, is no longer untouchable.
Before that came Ilia Topuria. A left hook dropped Holloway in the third round at UFC 308, and the follow-up hammerfists ended it, marking the first knockout defeat of his career. The chin that went 29 fights without a knockdown has now been breached twice in his last 3 outings.
Why Conor McGregor’s Left Hand Makes This Competitive
Conor McGregor is a southpaw, and his accurate left straight is the single most technically refined punch in MMA history. The same alignment that created Ilia Topuria’s left hook knockout opportunity exists naturally for a southpaw McGregor. Holloway’s chin has shown increasing vulnerability to exactly that punch shape across his recent fights.
The Window Is Narrow but Real
‘The Notorious’ wins if the left hand lands cleanly in the first two rounds at UFC 329 before the five-year layoff and Max Holloway’s conditioning become overwhelming factors. The stats say ‘Blessed’ is beatable. The question is whether McGregor can catch him in time.
Also read: Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway at UFC 329: What the Stats Say About Who Wins and How
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