Former UFC double champion Daniel Cormier suggests that Conor McGregor’s motivation alone will not be sufficient for him to defeat Max Holloway on July 11th.
After a nearly five-year hiatus due to a severe leg injury sustained in his 2021 trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier, the Irish fighter is slated to return to the octagon at UFC 329 in July for a rematch with Holloway. This welterweight bout will also mark McGregor’s debut in the 170-pound division.
Despite McGregor’s dedicated training regimen leading up to the rematch, fans are concerned about his prolonged absence from competition and the potential for “ring rust.” Daniel Cormier shares these concerns.
Cormier believes that while McGregor will undoubtedly be fully committed and motivated at UFC 329, motivation alone does not guarantee victory. McGregor has been inactive for nearly half a decade, while Max Holloway has continued to compete and has faced and defeated some of the toughest opponents on the UFC roster.
During a conversation with Josh Thomson, Cormier stated:
“My thought is we see a Conor McGregor that’s as focused and committed as he has ever been. I don’t know if with the injuries and the time away and the weight gains and now the weight loss and all these things, if that Conor McGregor, even if he is more motivated than ever, is enough to beat a Max Holloway. Now that’s no prediction, I’m just saying. But also you don’t get better at something by not doing it. That’s just the case. You can train as hard as you want, but at the end of the day it’s still been about five years since he was last in an octagon.”
Dustin Poirier Believes Conor McGregor’s Natural Power Could Be a Decisive Factor Against Max Holloway
Dustin Poirier is of the opinion that despite Conor McGregor’s five-year layoff, his punching power will remain intact when he steps back into the octagon against Max Holloway. Poirier believes “The Diamond” feels the Dubliner has a genuine chance to knock out Holloway.
Holloway has been knocked down in recent fights, and after a long career filled with striking battles, there are questions about the resilience of his chin. Speaking on the WEIGHING IN podcast, Poirier commented:
“I think the punching power is gonna be there regardless. I think Conor’s gonna come back from the injury and still have that natural punching power. The question for me is the timing, the athleticism, the movement. All those questions need to be answered. If his counter punching and his timing are anywhere near what it was, he has a chance to beat Max… Conor can punch, man. No matter how long he has been out, he still has a great equalizer, and that’s power. Some guys are born with it.”
English Translation:
Former UFC double champion Daniel Cormier believes that Conor McGregor’s motivation alone will not be enough for him to defeat Max Holloway on July 11th.
The Irishman, who has been out of action for nearly five years following a severe leg injury during his 2021 trilogy bout with Dustin Poirier, is finally set to return to the octagon in July at UFC 329 for a rematch with Holloway. The McGregor vs. Holloway 2 bout will be a welterweight clash and also the former BMF champion’s first fight at 170 pounds.
Despite McGregor’s intense training and dedication in the gym leading up to the rematch, fans remain concerned about his lengthy inactivity and the resulting ring rust. Even “DC” shares similar worries.
Daniel Cormier believes that a fully committed and motivated Conor McGregor will undoubtedly be seen at UFC 329, but motivation alone does not win fights. “The Notorious” has been inactive for almost half a decade, while Max Holloway has continued to evolve and has faced and defeated some of the toughest fighters on the roster.
During a discussion with Josh Thomson, Cormier said:
“My thought is we see a Conor McGregor that’s as focused and committed as he has ever been. I don’t know if with the injuries and the time away and the weight gains and now the weight loss and all these things, if that Conor McGregor, even if he is more motivated than ever, is enough to beat a Max Holloway. Now that’s no prediction, I’m just saying. But also you don’t get better at something by not doing it. That’s just the case. You can train as hard as you want, but at the end of the day it’s still been about five years since he was last in an octagon.”
Dustin Poirier Believes Conor McGregor is Born with “Power” and Can Sleep Max Holloway if “The Notorious” Returns with Decent Timing
Dustin Poirier believes that even though Conor McGregor has not fought in the last five years, he will still possess the same punching power when he enters the octagon to rematch “Blessed.” Therefore, “The Diamond” thinks the Dubliner has a very real chance of stopping Max Holloway.
Holloway has been dropped in his recent outings, and after a long career filled with slugfests, questions arise about whether his chin has begun to decline. On the WEIGHING IN podcast, Poirier stated:
“I think the punching power is gonna be there regardless. I think Conor’s gonna come back from the injury and still have that natural punching power. The question for me is the timing, the athleticism, the movement. All those questions need to be answered. If his counter punching and his timing are anywhere near what it was, he has a chance to beat Max… Conor can punch, man. No matter how long he has been out, he still has a great equalizer, and that’s power. Some guys are born with it.”