Conor McGregor slapped Max Holloway during a heated face-off at the UFC 329 pre-fight press conference, and fans are now expressing concern for Holloway's mental state heading into Saturday night's welterweight showdown.
Face-Off Turns Physical
The Irishman and Holloway were separated by security after McGregor delivered a slap, escalating tensions before their main event bout at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The co-main event features Paddy Pimblett against Benoit Saint-Denis, but all eyes are on the headliners.
McGregor, 37, has not fought since breaking his leg in a first-round defeat to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 five years ago. A planned return against Michael Chandler in 2024 fell through due to an injury in training. Despite the layoff, McGregor insists he can return to form.
Fan Reaction
Fans quickly took to social media, with many believing McGregor had won the psychological battle. One fan commented: "This the best McGregor face off since 2018. Won every micro battle." Another posted: "B****** HIM LMAOOOO."
A third replied: "He got into Max’s head. He was seething when they got broken up," while another agreed, writing: "Max looked scared." One fan said: "Classic Conor energy. Max looked shook bro," and another added: "Max is getting slept."
McGregor's Warning
During the press conference, McGregor issued a vicious warning: "I predict destruction. I'm going to destroy Max; I'm going to eliminate Max. The final opponent of mine still within the UFC ranks. All of my other opponents are gone. Max is the last one left, and on Saturday night, he gets eliminated for good."
He added: "I can destroy Max inside 10 seconds. I have knockouts inside three seconds on my fighting record. I have Hall of Fame fighters, multiple Hall of Fame UFC fighters defeated and destroyed both together and under a minute. And I can add Max to that. However, don't get it twisted. If we go into these deep waters, Max is going to be in a lot of trouble, badly concussed."
Retirement Threat
McGregor also promised to send Holloway into retirement. When asked about Holloway suggesting a trilogy fight later this year, McGregor said: "I find it disrespectful. I find it shows he is here for the economics of it. He must not realise the danger he is in. I forecast Holloway's retirement on Saturday night; not a trilogy for cash."
UFC 329: McGregor vs Holloway 2 airs exclusively live on TNT Sports Box Office via HBO Max, EE TV, Virgin Media TV, Prime Video and Sky.
