Conor McGregor's return to the Octagon this Saturday at UFC 329 in Las Vegas will see him face Max Holloway, but his coach, John Kavanagh, has revealed the camp was initially preparing for a different opponent: Carlos Prates. Kavanagh confirmed on Wednesday that the team had started game-planning and training with Prates in mind before the sudden change to Holloway.
The main event bout marks a highly anticipated rematch, coming 13 years after McGregor first defeated Holloway by decision. While their initial clash was contested at featherweight, a division where both fighters eventually became world champions, this weekend's fight will take place at welterweight. This weight class is familiar territory for McGregor but a new challenge for Holloway.
Reports of McGregor potentially fighting Prates, a natural welterweight with a strong 7-1 UFC record and seven knockout victories, had briefly circulated. Prates himself had expressed scepticism about the fight at the time, citing McGregor's five-year absence from the sport and the potential for a difficult comeback against a formidable opponent like himself. He notably stated he believed he would 'hurt him bad' and 'knock him out'.
McGregor, 37, has been out of action for five years, with his last fight ending in a TKO loss to Dustin Poirier due to a broken leg. His planned return in 2024 against Michael Chandler was cancelled at short notice after he sustained a broken toe. Beyond injuries, McGregor has also faced significant personal and professional challenges.
In 2024, a civil jury found McGregor liable for the rape of a woman in Dublin in 2018, a verdict he appealed unsuccessfully. The same year, he recorded three drug-test whereabouts failures, leading to an 18-month ban. This ban, announced in October 2025 but backdated to September 2024, made him eligible to compete again this March, paving the way for his return at UFC 329.