As a seasoned champion, Conor McGregor understands that his return to the Octagon after a five-year hiatus is too important a task to fumble. For that, ‘The Notorious’ has taken a few steps, one of which many may find bizarre.

While he had already revealed that he had put his luxury lifestyle on hold and was practically living at the gym while preparing to face Max Holloway, speaking at the UFC 329 media day, the former two-division champion revealed that he went a step further and practiced abstinence from any form of physical intimacy for the entire duration of his training camp.

“I’ve practiced abstaining during this camp,” Conor McGregor said. “It’s the first time I’ve ever done it. Abstaining from any type of physical touch, if you will, and it’s been intense. I’m excited to see what it brings on Saturday night. I’m going to have a good night on Saturday, all across the board.”

For combat athletes, abstaining from physical intimacy during training camp isn’t an uncommon practice. Many choose to avoid distractions before a big fight in an effort to stay mentally sharp and completely focused on the task at hand. In McGregor’s case, he’s finally returning after a five-year layoff to face a far more active fighter in Max Holloway. So, the Irishman likely wanted to eliminate every possible form of distraction from his camp. However, ‘The Notorious’ didn’t always agree with the age-old practise.

During an appearance on The Conan Show back in 2015, ahead of his interim featherweight title clash against Chad Mendes, the Dublin native dismissed the idea of avoiding physical intimacy as a “superstition” and even revealed that he preferred having as much s-x as possible before a fight. Eleven years after making that statement, McGregor’s stance has clearly changed. While science shows that s-x before competition does not hinder physiological performance, combat athletes primarily rely on it as a mental tool rather than a physical one. So many, refrain from it for the entire duration of the 6-8 week training camp.

Floyd Mayweather, as he often did for most of his fights, had revealed that he practised abstinence before his 2017 fight with Conor McGregor. Former welterweight champion Leon Edwards also admitted in a 2022 interview with The Breakfast Club that he refrains from physical intimacy during a fight camp. However, not everyone believes in that approach.

Former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping once admitted that he did the complete opposite, explaining that it helped distract him and even boost his “testosterone” before a fight.

As it turns out, abstinence can work differently for every fighter. Ultimately, the goal is the same: to step into the competition in as good a shape as you possibly can. And judging by his recent comments, Conor McGregor believes this latest sacrifice will help him deliver the “masterpiece” he has promised against Max Holloway at UFC 329. 

Conor McGregor vows to deliver a masterpiece against Max Holloway 

Currently, ‘The Notorious’ is being doubted by many to come out victorious in the UFC 329 main event. From his lifestyle to his dedication, several questions have emerged that many believe could derail McGregor’s long-awaited comeback. That skepticism is also reflected in the betting odds, with Max Holloway entering the fight as a clear favorite. Even so, McGregor remains supremely confident that he can take out ‘Blessed’ at T-Mobile Arena, just as he did thirteen years ago in their first meeting.

“Holloway, I’ve faced him before,” McGregor told The Mac Life. “Took many lessons from that beating I gave him onward in his career. And then went on to do great things. And now I love it because he’s fought so many men. And they’ve fought him a certain way, and it’s gone a certain way. So now returns McGregor to show once again the level and the difference. That’s it. It’s a masterpiece on July 11th—a McGregor masterpiece.”

Well, the former UFC two-division champion has never lacked confidence when it comes to predicting his own fights. However, it’s also true that ‘The Mystic Mac’ will have to overcome a significant activity gap against Holloway. During McGregor’s time away from the Octagon, Holloway competed eight times from November 2021 through March 2026, staying active against elite competition. So, the momentum is undoubtedly on the former featherweight champion’s side.

That said, with McGregor sacrificing many of the comforts of his early lifestyle and fully dedicating himself to this training camp, it will be fascinating to see how he performs once the Octagon door closes this weekend.