Whenever it’s a Conor McGregor fight event, it’s almost certain that fans will flock to watch the Irishman compete. However, his star presence sometimes overshadows the undercard. But ahead of ‘The Notorious’ rumored return at UFC 329 on July 11, set for International Fight Week, that dynamic seems to have shifted. The rumored lineup carries serious firepower, including the former champ’s return against a stellar opponent.

“Here’s what International Fight Week could look like if everything goes to plan 👀🔥,” Championship Round posted showing fights: Conor McGregor vs Max Holloway (main event), Paddy Pimblett vs Benoit Saint-Denis, Cory Sandhagen vs Mario Bautista 2, and Gable Steveson’s debut. 

Dana White, during the UFC Winnipeg post-fight presser, shared a positive update regarding Conor McGregor’s comeback. Though the UFC CEO didn’t announce anything officially, he reassured everyone that his contract negotiations with ‘The Notorious’ went positively and that he would reveal further details when the time was right.

As for his opponent, Ariel Helwani confidently mentioned that the promotion is looking toward a rematch against Max Holloway, which would be 13 years in the making. ‘The Notorious’ won the first fight in 2013 at UFC Fight Night 26: Shogun vs. Sonnen in Boston via unanimous decision, displaying a striking masterclass. After McGregor’s main event, the Liverpudlian can actually take the co-headliner spot and keep the audience engaged.

For most of his career, Paddy Pimblett drew Conor McGregor comparisons because of his brash personality, thick accent and his ability to back the trash talk up by beating his opponents inside the Octagon. But after losing to Justin Gaethje at UFC 324, ‘The Baddy’ needs a redemption fight.

Who better than Benoit Saint-Denis, who’s on a four-fight winning streak? Pimblett called out ‘BSD’ for a European derby, and it seems the promotion could make the fight on July 11. But this bout is also yet to be official.

Then comes the fight, which is already official for IFW: a rematch between Cory Sandhagen and Mario Bautista. The pair last fought in 2019, where ‘The Sandman’ got the better of the Nevada native at UFC on ESPN+ 1: Cejudo vs. Dillashaw. Years after that bout, both fighters are about to meet once again with bigger stakes on the line. Currently, Sandhagen is number 4, and Bautista is number 8 in the 135 lbs rankings, and the winner of this fight will get closer to a title shot.

Lastly, Gable Steveson’s anticipated debut is also expected to take place at UFC 329. The promotion revealed during the UFC 327 broadcast that the former NCAA-Olympian has signed with the UFC and would make his first walk under Dana White’s promotion on July 11. However, UFC hasn’t revealed his opponent, but there are three contenders that make logical sense for him right now.

Now, with over two months remaining before the event, anything can still change. However, most eyes will be on Conor McGregor and whether he can successfully make a comeback after his last-minute pullout against Michael Chandler at UFC 303. Still, ‘The Notorious’ recent update would keep the hope alive for his fans.

Conor McGregor shows positive signs ahead of International Fight Week return

Alongside Conor McGregor potentially preparing for his imminent return, another concern has consumed fans: how serious he is about the comeback. Well, the former two-division champ has reiterated multiple times that he’s indeed focused, uploading several training clips. But as the doubts lingered once again, ‘The Notorious’ posted another training video to show that he’s locked in.

McGregor recently uploaded footage on social media of himself training with former UFC welterweight contender Dong Hyun Kim. The South Korean fighter visited SBG Ireland and got to train with the UFC star and his team. In the clip, McGregor showed glimpses of his past, tagging Kim with precise shots, though it’s unclear whether he wobbled him at one point or not.

Well, indeed, the video doesn’t guarantee that McGregor would pass the rumored test of Max Holloway at International Fight Week. But it shows that his camp has been working on the former champ’s return, and we’ll see how much sharpness McGregor has retained after being out of competition for over five years.

That said, what do you think about Conor McGregor’s return and the International Fight Week card?