Frankie Edgar Backs Max Holloway to Defeat Conor McGregor in UFC 329 Return

UFC Hall of Famer Frankie Edgar weighed in and shared his thoughts on Conor McGregor’s highly anticipated UFC return. 

McGregor will return to the octagon at UFC 329, where he faces Max Holloway in the main event.

UFC 329, which takes place on July 11, will mark almost five years to the day since ‘The Notorious’ last competed against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264. That night saw McGregor suffer a broken leg toward the end of the first round, resulting in a lengthy recovery process. 

Edgar acknowledged the Irishman’s return as significant for the UFC. However, he also questioned whether McGregor’s lifestyle could affect his performance. 

“We just don’t know what Conor’s been doing,” Edgar told SportsBoom.us. 

“[McGregor’s] been on yachts and hanging out and running BKFC and stuff like that, so who knows how he will look.”

HOLLOWAY EAGER TO AVENGE HIS LOSS

McGregor and Holloway are no strangers to each other, having fought earlier in their UFC careers. 

In 2013, the Irishman, in his second UFC bout, earned a unanimous decision victory over ‘Blessed,’ who was then a young prospect trying to climb the featherweight rankings. 

Now, 13 years later, Holloway and McGregor are at different stages of their respective careers. 

‘Blessed’ is coming off a BMF title loss to Charles Oliveira, but he remains among the top contenders in the lightweight division. 

McGregor, meanwhile, is a former two-division UFC champion aiming to reignite his MMA career. The fight will be contested at welterweight, so the Irishman may have a slight advantage. 

While Holloway has never competed at 170 pounds and is entering the bout following his recent loss to Oliveira, Edgar believes he will get his hand raised and avenge his loss to McGregor. 

“I gotta go with Holloway, he’s just been much more active,” he said.

“Even though he lost his last fight against Charles Oliveira, I don’t think he was expecting Oliveira to go out there and wrestle him.”

“I feel like Holloway’s a motivated guy. I know he wants that one back. They fought when it was early in Max’s career, so I’m sure he wants that one back.” 

Edgar knows what Holloway is capable of inside the octagon from when they fought at UFC 240. There, ‘Blessed’ earned an impressive unanimous decision victory to retain his featherweight championship.

“Holloway’s just a stud. He’s a workhorse, obviously. I imagine he lives in the gym like most of the best guys, and he just keeps getting better and better.”

“Holloway’s got a great body style, long and rangy, and he fights with a motor, with intelligence, with heart. He’s tough. Pointing to the mat, putting guys out, he’s fun to watch.” 

THE FIGHT THAT GOT AWAY

While reflecting on his own legendary career, Edgar acknowledged McGregor as the one fight that got away. 

Edgar was firmly in the featherweight title picture during McGregor’s rise to superstardom. Although they never fought in the UFC, ‘The Answer’ revealed that the bout almost became a reality at UFC 189 in 2015.

McGregor was set to challenge Jose Aldo for the featherweight championship. 

However, Aldo withdrew due to injury, and the promotion scrambled for a short-notice replacement.

Edgar remains confident that he would have defeated McGregor had the UFC selected him as Aldo’s replacement.

“Conor McGregor and I were close to fighting when Aldo got hurt, and the UFC needed a replacement,” he said.

“It was between me and Chad Mendes, and they ended up going with Mendes.”

“Mendes was having his way with McGregor and then kind of gassed out. I think I would have liked my chances at that time,” he concluded.