Why question marks hang over Conor McGregor's UFC 329 return
Conor McGregor's UFC 329 return against Max Holloway is shadowed by more than a five-year layoff. A November 2024 civil jury found him liable for sexually assaulting Nikita Hand in a 2018 Dublin hotel, and he lost his appeal in July 2025. Critics ask whether he still deserves the spotlight. He headlines Las Vegas on Sunday night at UFC 329.
Key Takeaways
- A Dublin civil jury found McGregor liable for sexually assaulting Nikita Hand in December 2018 and ordered him to pay £206,000 in damages.
- McGregor lost his civil appeal in July 2025 but continues to deny wrongdoing ahead of his first fight since breaking his leg in 2021.
- UFC 329 pits McGregor against Holloway at welterweight with no title on the line, 13 years after their first meeting.
- McGregor served an 18-month anti-doping ban after missing three tests in 2024, though he has been tested extensively in 2026.
- Despite backlash, the UFC is banking on McGregor's historic drawing power for its flagship International Fight Week card.
What did the Nikita Hand case decide?
In November 2024, Nikita Hand won a high-profile Irish civil trial against McGregor. A jury found that he sexually assaulted her in a Dublin hotel in December 2018 and awarded damages of £206,000. McGregor insisted any physical interaction was consensual, but he lost his appeal in July 2025, with the case reaching as high as the Irish Supreme Court, according to Yahoo Sports.
Hand said she was retraumatised over and over again by the proceedings. McGregor has continued to accuse Hand and her lawyers of lying. When asked at UFC 329 media day whether he understood why some fans were uncomfortable with his return, he said: "I'm an innocent man and I'll stand for my innocence until the day I go out. It stings deep."
The fallout extends beyond sport. Cases like this sit alongside broader coverage in our True Crime & Unsolved Mysteries section, where high-profile civil verdicts draw sustained public scrutiny long after courtrooms close.
Can McGregor still compete after five years away?
McGregor has not fought since breaking his leg against Dustin Poirier in July 2021. His only victory in the last nine years remains a 2020 win over Donald Cerrone. Now 37, he faces Holloway, a future Hall of Famer with 23 UFC wins, at welterweight, a division where McGregor has fought just twice.
The BBC notes that McGregor built his reputation on finishing fights inside the distance, with only 7% of his bouts going to decision. Five years of inactivity raise legitimate questions about his cardio, timing and durability against one of the sport's most active veterans.
McGregor told ESPN he is "the greatest featherweight since Bruce Lee" and believes beating Holloway will cement his legacy at 145 pounds, even though Sunday's bout is at welterweight and carries no championship stakes.
Why does the UFC still put McGregor centre stage?
Despite the civil verdict, an anti-doping suspension and political controversies back home, McGregor is headlining UFC 329 at the T-Mobile Arena during International Fight Week. The BBC reports that Dana White gave no indication the Nikita Hand verdict would derail McGregor's UFC career.
Historically, McGregor's appearances drove pay-per-view records. Eight of the UFC's top-ten selling events featured him before the Paramount deal, per Forbes figures cited by the BBC. The promotion clearly believes the star power outweighs the reputational risk.
Reporters in Las Vegas this week have largely avoided pressing McGregor on his controversies, the BBC adds, leaving open whether fans will embrace or reject his comeback when he walks to the cage on Sunday.