UFC 329: McGregor vs. Holloway 2 in Las Vegas - The Grappling Angle on Every Key Fight

Reviewed by BJJ Gyms · Updated 2026-07-27

Main Event: McGregor vs. Holloway 2 and the Grappling Variables

When Conor McGregor and Max Holloway last met in August 2013, McGregor was a featherweight newcomer who won a unanimous decision. Now, over a decade later, both are returning to the Octagon under very different circumstances. McGregor is fighting at welterweight (170 lbs) for the first time and is coming off a broken leg suffered at UFC 264 in July 2021 - a multi-year absence that has kept everyone guessing about how much of his athleticism has returned. Holloway is making his welterweight debut after becoming one of the most celebrated featherweights in UFC history.

From a grappling perspective, neither fighter has been known primarily as a ground specialist, but the wrestling element matters at 170 lbs. McGregor in his prime was notoriously difficult to take down - his footwork and distance management kept most shots at bay, and his precision striking was fast enough to threaten anyone who crowded him. At welterweight, he will face larger opponents with more powerful takedown attempts than he encountered at 145 or 155. Holloway, for his part, has shown a durable, confident guard and improved anti-grappling, though his primary game has always been volume and forward pressure.

The betting lines tell an interesting story: McGregor enters this fight at +180 to +240, the longest underdog odds of his career. That pricing reflects the uncertainty around his return, his age, and the fact that Holloway has continued competing at elite level throughout the years McGregor was away. For grappling fans, the question is whether McGregor's ring intelligence and power can compensate for any rust that five years of inactivity has introduced.

Co-Main: Saint Denis vs. Pimblett - Wrestling vs. Physicality

The co-main event between Benoit Saint Denis and Paddy Pimblett is one of the more stylistically interesting matchups on the card. Saint Denis is a decorated grappler with a wrestling-heavy base and a demonstrated ability to control fighters on the ground. Pimblett is larger than most lightweights in terms of reach and physical presence and has used that frame effectively, but his defensive grappling has occasionally been tested.

This fight is worth watching closely for anyone who wants to see what high-level wrestling looks like against a determined, physical opponent. Saint Denis tends to drive through the center and commit to his takedowns rather than relying on hand-fighting or misdirection - when it works, it results in dominant positional control. When it does not, his opponents have found ways to use the scramble to their advantage. Pimblett's ability to survive and recover from bad positions, or prevent them entirely with early defense, will be a central dynamic of this fight.

For BJJ practitioners at any level, watching how the grappling in this bout unfolds - and specifically how each fighter responds to the transitions between striking range and the clinch - is worth your attention. These are the same sequences that happen in every live rolling session, just at a speed and pressure that makes every choice immediately consequential.

Gable Steveson's UFC Debut: What Olympic Wrestling Looks Like in the Cage

One of the most anticipated debuts on the card is Gable Steveson's heavyweight prelim against Elisha Ellison. Steveson is an Olympic gold medalist and multi-time NCAA wrestling champion - one of the most decorated folkstyle and freestyle wrestlers in recent U.S. history. Watching him translate that pedigree into an MMA context is an object lesson in what elite foundational grappling looks like in a cage setting.

Olympic-level wrestlers bring a specific kind of pressure and control to MMA that pure strikers and even most BJJ black belts find genuinely difficult to manage. The level of explosive hipping, the precision of their shots, and the relentlessness of their forward movement are attributes that take years of competitive wrestling to develop. Steveson's challenge will be layering in MMA-specific tools - strikes to set up takedowns, ground-and-pound positioning, and awareness of submission attempts from his opponent - while relying on a grappling base that is already world class.

If you have never watched elite wrestling translated into an MMA debut, this prelim is worth queuing up. And if it makes you want to learn more about the grappling fundamentals that underpin every level of mixed martial arts, that is exactly what Brazilian jiu-jitsu training is designed to teach. Find a gym near you and try a class - most offer free introductory sessions with no experience required.

Brandon Royval and Flyweight Submission Hunting

Brandon Royval appears on the main card in a flyweight bout against Lone'er Kavanagh, and for anyone who follows submission grappling, Royval's fights are consistently worth watching. He is among the most active submission hunters in the flyweight division, combining high-paced footwork with a willingness to engage on the ground in positions that other fighters avoid. His ground game is a useful study in transitional grappling - moving between positions not to settle into guard or half guard but to continuously create new angles and threats.

The flyweight division often gets overlooked in UFC 329 preview coverage because the headline fights are so dominant, but Royval vs. Kavanagh is exactly the kind of fight that BJJ practitioners should seek out when studying fight tape. The pace is high, the transitions happen quickly, and the submission attempts are real rather than theatrical - useful material for anyone trying to understand how positions that feel comfortable on the mat translate under actual competitive pressure.

7 Grappling Moments to Watch at UFC 329

Beyond the headline narratives, here are the specific grappling and wrestling dynamics on the card that BJJ practitioners should look for.

1. McGregor's Anti-Wrestling at Welterweight: Does McGregor's footwork and timing hold up at 170 lbs against physically larger opponents with more powerful takedown attempts?
2. Holloway's Guard Recovery: If Holloway ends up on the ground, watch how he manages distance and creates recovery opportunities - a testament to well-rounded defensive grappling.
3. Saint Denis's Shot Selection vs. Pimblett: Saint Denis commits hard to his takedowns. Watch whether he uses head movement and level changes to set them up rather than shooting cold.
4. Pimblett's Clinch Defense: Pimblett's ability to separate from the clinch and reset to striking range will determine how much of his physical advantages actually affect this fight.
5. Steveson's Explosive Hipping: Olympic wrestlers produce power from their hips in a way that most gyms do not replicate. Watch Steveson's mechanics when he drives for takedowns or throws.
6. Royval's Positional Transitions: Royval rarely stays in a single position long enough for it to become static - observe how he uses movement to continuously generate new submission angles.
7. Ground-and-Pound Positioning: Watch how fighters who achieve takedowns distribute weight and manage posture - this is where wrestling and BJJ intersect in the most practically important ways.

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