Daniel Cormier Has Concerns About McGregor’s Return Against Holloway

Daniel Cormier says he has no doubts about Conor McGregor’s desire and motivation ahead of his UFC return, but believes there are still too many unanswered questions surrounding the Irishman going into the fight.

McGregor is set to return to the Octagon on July 11 after nearly five years away, when he faces Max Holloway in the main event of UFC 329 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Speaking on the WEIGHING IN podcast with Josh Thomson, Cormier discussed the highly anticipated matchup and admitted that while he expects McGregor to be fully locked in, the challenge ahead of him looks extremely difficult.

“I think we’re going to see a Conor McGregor who is as focused and as committed as he’s ever been,” Cormier said.

However, the former two-division UFC champion pointed out that there are still major question marks surrounding McGregor’s comeback — including the lengthy layoff, the severe leg injury he suffered in 2021, the physical changes in his body over the years, and the lack of real fight competition for such a long period.

“I don’t know if this version of Conor McGregor, even if he’s more motivated than ever, is enough to beat Max Holloway. That’s not a prediction — I’m just saying it,” Cormier added.

Cormier was especially direct when speaking about McGregor’s extended time away from active competition.

“You don’t get better at something by not doing it. You can train all you want, but at the end of the day it’s been around five years since he was last in the Octagon.”

McGregor last fought in 2021, when he suffered a broken leg during his trilogy bout with Dustin Poirier.

The upcoming clash with Holloway will be a rematch of their first meeting in 2013, which McGregor won by unanimous decision. This time, however, many believe the Irishman faces one of the toughest challenges of his career.