liveUpdated 5m agoFollow live coverage of UFC 329, where Conor McGregor makes a controversial return to the sportThe Athletic Live TeamJuly 11, 2026 at 12:15 PM EDTMcGregor and Holloway ahead of their rematch today. GettyMcGregor vs. Holloway — LatestConor McGregor makes his controversial return to the UFC tonight when he faces Max Holloway in the main event of UFC 329 in Las Vegas.The former two-division UFC champion has not fought since July 2021. Last year, he lost a legal appeal against a civil court’s finding that he sexually assaulted a woman at a Dublin hotel.McGregor also received an 18-month suspension for three violations of the UFC’s anti-doping policy, it was announced in October 2025. The suspension was backdated and expired in March 2026.We have a team of reporters on the ground in Las Vegas to bring you the latest news surrounding his return, along with analysis of the rest of the event.Main card start time: 9 p.m. ETTV: Paramount+ (U.S.)The long road back Getty ImagesTonight will mark Conor McGregor’s return to the Octagon after a 1,827-day absence. His last UFC fight was the third bout of his rivalry with Dustin Poirier on July 10, 2021. McGregor lost by doctor’s stoppage after breaking his left tibia and fibula late in the first round.The 37-year-old subsequently underwent surgery, during which a metal rod was inserted into his tibia.McGregor has said during the buildup to this bout that he feels like “the Terminator,” but such a serious injury, coupled with five years of inactivity, raises questions about how he will perform inside the cage.Our venue tonight Getty ImagesT-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas is no stranger to the UFC.This marks the 39th time the venue has hosted a UFC fight card dating back to almost exactly 10 years ago, when it hosted UFC 200 with a UFC Women's Bantamweight Championship bout between then-champion Miesha Tate and Amanda Nunes as the main event on July 9, 2016 — only a few months after the arena opened.It’s no surprise that T-Mobile Arena, home of the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights, is such a popular UFC venue given the organization’s headquarters are practically down the street!How to watch the action tonight Getty Images All of tonight’s action can be seen in the U.S. on Paramount+ with the early prelims also avaliable on UFCFightPass. In the UK, you can watch the prelims and main card on TNT Sports Box Office and HBO Max.What time do the fights start tonight? Getty Images The main card for tonight’s event is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. local time in Las Vegas).The early prelims will begin at 5 p.m. ET (2 p.m. PT), followed by the prelims at 7 p.m. ET (4 p.m. PT).McGregor and Holloway are currently expected to make their walks to the Octagon at approximately 11:25 p.m. ET (8:25 p.m. PT), although that time will depend on the length of the preceding fights.Welcome to our live coverage Getty ImagesHello and welcome to our live coverage of Conor McGregor’s controversial return to the UFC. He will face Max Holloway tonight in his first fight in five years.McGregor last competed in the Octagon in July 2021, when he lost to Dustin Poirier for the second consecutive time.Since then, a civil jury found McGregor liable for assaulting a woman who said he raped her in a Dublin hotel room in December 2018. McGregor, who maintains that the encounter was consensual, was ordered to pay Hand nearly €250,000 in damages and approximately €1.3 million in legal costs. He lost an appeal against the verdict in July 2025.McGregor has also defended his reported use of substances prohibited under the UFC’s anti-doping rules while recovering from the broken leg he sustained against Poirier. A New York Times investigation published in June reported that he used anabolic steroids and human growth hormone while outside the UFC’s drug-testing pool. McGregor has never failed a drug test while enrolled in the UFC’s testing program.We will bring you further news about McGregor’s return over the coming hours, followed by live analysis and insight from our team on the ground in Las Vegas.