Although UFC had already confirmed the Paddy Pimblett vs. Benoit Saint-Denis fight, it kept the headliner under wraps. That was until May 16, when Dana White officially announced Conor McGregor‘s return on the UFC 329 card during an Instagram Live session. The Irishman is set to face Max Holloway in the main event at T-Mobile Arena on July 11. Now, less than two months away from the big event, the promotion has confirmed the slate of 12 total fights for the Las Vegas event.

Cory Sandhagen (18-6-0) returns to action at UFC 329 in a featured bantamweight matchup against fellow contender Mario Bautista in the main card. Returning from a setback against Merab Dvalishvili this past October, Sandhagen now faces another dangerous opponent in Bautista (17-3-0), who is coming off a Performance of the Night showing in a February headliner.

At flyweight, fourth-ranked Brandon Royval (17-9-0) will attempt to strengthen his standing in the division when he faces Englishman Lone’er Kavanagh (10-1-0). The bout arrives at a crucial stage for Royval, who has dropped two consecutive fights and now faces another difficult assignment against a rising prospect coming off a dominant victory over former champion Brandon Moreno.

The event’s lone heavyweight bout will see the UFC debut of Olympic gold medalist Gable Stevenson (3-0), who will take on Elisha Ellison (5-2-0). With just three professional MMA fights under his belt, Stevenson enters the matchup with limited exposure against an opponent who lost his UFC debut this past September.

Former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker (26-9-0) also makes his move to light heavyweight against contender Nikita Krylov (31-11-0). The matchup carries added intrigue given that Krylov is attempting to rebuild momentum following a difficult stretch earlier in his run. However, his knockout victory over Modestas Bukauskas at UFC 324 helped him secure a place in the rankings heading into this bout.

Cody Garbrandt (15-7-0) will also return in another bantamweight matchup against Adrian Yanez (17-6-1). For Garbrandt, who is coming off a controversy-laden duel against Xiao Long two months ago, the fight presents an opportunity to potentially move into the rankings. Yanez himself enters the contest under pressure after his last two fights ended disappointingly.

UFC 329 also features a women’s flyweight bout between eighth-ranked Tracy Cortez (12-3-0) and 12th-ranked Wang Cong (9-1). The matchup carries added significance for Cortez after she suffered a second-round loss to Erin Blanchfield this past November at UFC 322.

Beyond those featured matchups, the UFC has also lined up several undercard fights with intriguing storylines.

UFC 329 begins with rising names and promising fights

Among them is a middleweight bout between Damian Pinas (9-1-0), who is from Aruba, and Cesar Almeida (7-2-0).

The card also features a featherweight clash between unbeaten Englishman Luke Riley (13-0-0) and veteran Kai Kamaka III (18-7-1), who returned to the UFC this April after a four-year gap.

Another middleweight bout features Brazilian fighter Ryan Gandra (9-1) against American Zachary Reese (10-3-0, 1NC), after the flyweight duel unfolds between Jamaican fighter Ode’ Osbourne (13-9-0, 2NC) and Cody Durden (18-10-1).

Overall, it is an impressive lineup of fights that blends comeback narratives, divisional implications, and high-profile returns. While much of the spotlight will remain fixed on Conor McGregor’s comeback, UFC has still managed to assemble one of its strongest cards of the year.