UFC 329 live results: Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway 2
The biggest star in UFC history returns this weekend as the UFC celebrates International Fight Week in Las Vegas, capped off by UFC 329 at the T-Mobile Arena.
Former UFC Lightweight and Featherweight Champion Conor McGregor returns from a five-year layoff, making his much anticipated return in a rematch with former UFC Lightweight and BMF Champion Max Holloway, in the main event. McGregor defeated Holloway in August 2013, long before both went on to become celebrated champions.
McGregor’s return comes with lots of controversy, from drug testing issues to losing civil lawsuits involving rape charges, but the hype regarding his return is in full effect coming nearly five years after a devastating leg injury suffered in a loss to Dustin Poirier.
The co-main event features the return of another big international star as Paddy Pimblett looks to rebound from an interim title fight loss when he takes on Benoit Saint-Denis, winner of four straight fights.
The rest of the main card features a bantamweight rematch between Cory Sandhagen and Mario Bautista; a battle of top-five flyweights as Brandon Royval takes on Lone’er Kavanagh; and long-time veteran King Green takes on Terrance McKinney in a lightweight fight.
PRELIMS | 5 PM ET | 2 PM PT
> Flyweights- Alessandro Costa (16-5, 4-3 UFC) vs. Cody Durden (18-10-1, 7-8-1 UFC)
Durden lands a leg kick as Costa misses a wheel kick. Costa lands a right hand before a brief clinch. Durden lands a leg kick and Costa is pressing forward. Costa lands a big combination inside the pocket and Durden eats it well. They trade as Durden was rushing in for a takedown. Durden tries for another takedown but Costa defends. Costa lands a right hand. 10-9 Costa.
Costa lands a leg kick and Durden lands a right hand. Durden with a nice inside leg kick and Costa lands an uppercut. Durden slips on a kick and Costa gets on top. Costa gets into side control and takes the back. Costa trying to get the hooks locked on and has the body triangle on. Costa locks in a rear-naked choke and Durden is bleeding. It is in deep and Durden taps! Costa picks up the win.
Fight Result- Alessandro Costa def. Cody Durden by submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:19 of Round 2
> Middleweights- Ryan Gandra (9-1, 1-0 UFC) vs. Zachary Reese (10-3 1 NC, 4-3 1 NC UFC)
Gandra lands a body kick. They trade in close range. Gandra lands a right hand. Gandra drops Reese with a left hand and starts landing from the top and it is stopped. What a finish by Gandra!
Fight Result- Ryan Gandra def. Zachary Reese by TKO (punches) at 1:15 of Round 1
> Bantamweights- #10 Farid Basharat (15-0, 6-0 UFC) vs. John Garza (6-1, 0-0 UFC)
Basharat lands a calf kick. Garza working the jab. Basharat with a pair of calf kicks. They both throw and Basharat scores a takedown. Basharat spins and takes the back. Garza is able to spin out and gets to the top, but they scramble up. Basharat is able to score another takedown. Basharat passes guard into side control. They scramble up. Basharat lands a head kick. They trade jabs. Basharat with a left hand. They tie up and Basharat lands a short elbow as they break. Basharat lands a spinning elbow then a knee. They trade right hands. 10-9 Basharat.
Basharat lands a jab. Basharat with a front kick. Basharat looks for a takedown but Garza defends and lands some knees before they break apart. Basharat lands an uppercut and a leg kick. Basharat gets a brief takedown but Garza is able to spin to his feet and they tie up before Basharat grabs the back. Garza is defending Basharat trying to get him down and they separate. Basharat scores a takedown and is in side control. Basharat lands an elbow and lands a knee to the body as they stand. Garza lands a nice body shot followed by another one. Basharat lands a left hook. Basharat grabs a single leg and scores a takedown. Basharat lands a right hand from the top. Garza scrambles up and lands an uppercut. 10-9 Basharat, 20-18 Basharat.
Basharat lands a calf kick as Garza is pressing forward and throwing. Basharat looks for a takedown, but Garza defends. Basharat works the jab. Garza lands to the body. Garza landing with more volume as he lands a right hand. Basharat fires back a right hand. Basharat lands a pair of calf kicks. Basharat looks for a takedown, but Garza defends and lands a pair of knees to the body. Garza lands a body kick. Basharat shoots for a takedown, but Garza defends and lands an uppercut as they separate. Basharat lands a pair of calf kicks. Basharat follows with a right hand. Basharat scores a takedown. Basharat working inside the guard. Basharat lands a short elbow. Basharat with more shots from the top. 10-9 Basharat, 30-27 Basharat.
Fight Result- Farid Basharat def. John Garza by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
> Middleweights- Damian Pinas (9-1, 1-0 UFC) vs. Cesar Almeida (7-2, 3-2 UFC)
Pinas lands a leg kick. They trade leg kicks. Pinas with some leg kicks. Almeida throws a high kick and a right hand. They trade and Almeida is able to score a takedown. They get up and Almeida lands a pair of body kicks. Almeida lands a leg kick. Pinas with a left hook. They trade kicks. Pinas lands a combination. Pinas with a leg kick and Almeida lands a body kick. Almeida with another body kick. Pinas drops Almeida with a right hand and Almeida is out! Pinas with a big knockout out of nowhere!
Fight Result- Damian Pinas def. Cesar Almeida by knockout (punch) at 4:44 of Round 1
> Women’s Flyweights- #8 Tracy Cortez (12-3, 6-2 UFC) vs. #10 Wang Cong (9-1, 4-1 UFC)
They trade leg kicks. Cong lands a right hand and a leg kick. Cong connects to the body and Cortez lands a leg kick. Cong lands a leg kick and Cortez goes down for a moment. Cong lands a right hand as Cortez stands and then a jab to the body. Cong with another calf kick. They trade in close range as Cong lands a leg kick. Cortez with a body kick. Cong continuing with leg kicks. They both scramble to the mat and Cortez looks for a guillotine choke, but Cong defends and they trade in the clinch. 10-9 Cong.
Cortez lands a right hand and a leg kick. Cong lands a left hand. Cortez shoots for a takedown but falls to the mat. Cong landing from a standing position. Cortez gets to her feet. Cortez lands a combination. Cortez scrambles for a takedown and is on her knee and Cong lands an illegal knee clear as day and timeout is called. Cong has a point taken away. They return to action. Cortez with an inside leg kick. They trade in close range. Cortez lands a right hand. Cong lands a left hand followed by a right hand. Cong with another overhand right. Cong lands to the body. 9-9 round due to the point deduction, 19-18 Cong.
Cong with a calf kick as they trade in close range. Cong lands a solid combination. They tie up against the fence with Cong having the advantage. Cong lands a knee. Cong lands a leg kick and Cortez’ leg is badly hurt. Cong lands a solid right hand. Cortez looks for a takedown but Cong defends. They trade left hands. Cong with a front kick to the body and lands a body shot that hurts Cortez. Cong lands a right hand then a jab to the body. 10-9 Cong, 29-27 Cong.
Fight Result- Wang Cong def. Tracy Cortez by unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27)
> Featherweights- Luke Riley (13-0, 2-0 UFC) vs. Kai Kamaka (18-7-1, 2-2-1 UFC)
Kamaka with some early leg kicks as they trade right hands. Riley lands a jab. Kamaka with a couple more calf kicks. They trade punches and Kamaka with a body kick. Kamaka lands a check hook and they trade jabs. Riley lands a left hook. They trade and Riley lands a big right hand and Kamaka goes down. Kamaka gets up and Riley continues to tee off with punches and knees and is landing lots of shots. Kamaka is eating them but is still hurt and Riley continues to land and it is stopped! That may have been a tad early of a stoppage but Riley was landing a massive flurry.
Fight Result- Luke Riley def. Kai Kamaka by TKO (strikes) at 3:03 of Round 1
> Bantamweights- Cody Garbrandt (15-7, 10-7 UFC) vs. Adrian Yanez (17-6-1, 6-3-1 UFC)
Garbrandt lands a big flurry with a knee and punches to start off. Yanez is able to circle away. Garbrandt lands to the body as Yanez lands a combo right at the same time. Garbrandt with a quick flurry but eats a big right hand from Yanez. They both land as Garbrandt was rushing in and Garbrandt was wobbling. Yanez then lands some big shots and Garbrandt goes down and it is all over! Yanez gets the first-round knockout.
Fight Result- Adrian Yanez def. Cody Garbrandt by TKO (punches) at 2:47 of Round 1
> Heavyweights- Gable Steveson (3-0, 0-0 UFC) vs. Elisha Ellison (5-2, 0-1 UFC)
They come out both throwing. Steveson slips on a kick but gets up. Steveson with a body kick. Steveson lands a left hand. Steveson looks for a takedown but Ellison defends. Steveson lands a left hand and Ellison circles away. Steveson with some knees to the body and Ellison lands an elbow. They break apart. Steveson with a pair of body kicks. Steveson lands a big right hand as timeout is called for a groin strike. They return to action and Steveson starts teeing off. Ellison lands an elbow that briefly hurts Steveson. Steveson with a pair of front kicks. Steveson lands a big flurry against the fence. Steveson lands some big knees and a pair of big punches and Ellison goes down and it is all over! Steveson gets the stoppage in his debut.
Fight Result- Gable Steveson def. Elisha Ellison by knockout (strikes) at 2:31 of Round 1
> Light Heavyweights- Nikita Krylov (31-11, 12-9 UFC) vs. Robert Whittaker (26-9, 17-7 UFC)
Whittaker lands a right hand. Krylov looks to push it against the fence as Whittaker lands a left hand. Krylov has Whittaker against the fence and lands a knee, but they separate. Krylov shoots for a takedown against the fence. They break and Whittaker stumbles and Krylov lands a right hand. Krylov grabs the back. Krylov has a bulldog choke but Whittaker escapes. Whittaker lands a left hook as he escapes. Whittaker with a pair of jabs. Whittaker lands a right hand. Krylov with a body kick but Whittaker lands a right hand then a left hook. Whittaker lands another right hand. Whittaker lands a jab. Whittaker lands before a clinch. They separate and Whittaker ends the round with a head kick. 10-9 Whittaker.
Krylov lands a leg kick. Both throwing looping shots that are missing. Whittaker lands a left hand. Krylov with a leg kick. Whittaker lands a right hand as Krylov looked for a takedown. Whittaker lands a jab. Whittaker lands a combination. They trade as Whittaker defends a takedown attempt. Whittaker hurts Krylov badly with a combination. Whittaker lands a right hand. Whittaker lands a jab. Whittaker lands another combo. Krylov with a leg kick that Whittaker checks. 10-9 Whittaker, 20-18 Whittaker.
Whittaker lands the jab. Whittaker lands a right hand. Krylov is circling away. Whittaker lands a right hand and Krylov is hurt. Krylov is saying his jaw is broke and the fight is stopped!
Fight Result- Robert Whittaker def. Nikita Krylov by TKO (punch) at 1:01 of Round 3
MAIN CARD | 9 PM ET | 6 PM PT
> Lightweights- King Green (35-17-1 1 NC, 16-12-1 1 NC UFC) vs. Terrance McKinney (18-8, 8-5 UFC)
They trade punches. Green gets McKinney down for a moment but they scramble up. Green is cut open as they trade. McKinney lands a left hand. McKinney with a left hand to the body. Green with a body kick. McKinney lands to the body then a pair of left hands. Green with some side body kicks. McKinney gets a takedown and starts landing from side top control. McKinney with lots of left hands and Green is in trouble. McKinney has the back and is working for a choke. Green with some backward punches while he is talking trash. Green is able to get to his feet and lands some front kicks to the body. They trade punches. Green lands to the body and is landing big punches and gets the finish at the horn! WOW!
Fight Result- King Green def. Terrance McKinney by TKO (strikes) at 4:59 of Round 1
> Flyweights- #4 Brandon Royval (17-9, 7-5 UFC) vs. #5 Lone’er Kavanagh (10-1, 3-1 UFC)
Royval lands an uppercut. They trade in close range. Royval with a leg kick. Kavanagh lands a leg kick. Royval with a head kick. He lands another high kick. Royval lands the jab. Royval working the jab. Kavanagh throws a kick but Royval grabs the leg and lands a few punches before letting go. The same thing happens again. They trade and Royval scores a takedown. Royval with some elbows from the top. He lands some more punches and elbows before they scramble up. Kavanagh trips Royval to the mat and lands a hammerfist. 10-9 Royval.
Kavanagh lands a body kick. Royval working the jab. Royval with a high kick. Royval still working the jab and lands a left hand as Kavanagh lands a body kick. Kavanagh rocks Royval badly with a right hand and Royval goes to the mat. Kavanagh is landing lots of shots from the top as Royval is trying to recover. Kavanagh with a pair of big elbows from the top as Royval is throwing his legs up. Royval scrambles up as Kavanagh lands a small flurry. They trade as Royval works the jab. Royval looks for a takedown against the fence. Kavanagh lands a big elbow. Kavanagh looks for a takedown against the fence. They separate and Royval works the jab. Royval lands a left hand and scores a takedown. They get up and Kavanagh lands. 10-9 Kavanagh, 19-19.
Royval works the jab as Kavanagh lands a leg kick. Royval hurts Kavanagh with a combination and lands some elbows. Kavanagh then hurts Royval with an uppercut. Royval now back on offense. Royval scores a takedown as Kavanagh attacks the guillotine choke. Royval with some big elbows from the top. Royval takes the back and locks in an arm-triangle. Kavanagh is fighting it. Kavanagh lands to the body. Royval back in the mount. Royval lets go and is landing to the body. Kavanagh gives up his back and Royval lands punches from there. Royval locks in a rear-naked choke and Kavanagh taps! Royval picks up the win.
Fight Result- Brandon Royval def. Lone’er Kavanagh by submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:40 of Round 3
> Bantamweights- #4 Cory Sandhagen (18-6, 11-5 UFC) vs. #5 Mario Bautista (17-3, 11-3 UFC)
Sandhagen with a pair of body kicks and then tags Bautista with a left hand. Sandhagen with a high kick and he’s pressuring. Bautista looks for a takedown as they tie up. They separate and Sandhagen lands an elbow. Bautista lands a few right hands. Sandhagen lands to the body. He lands another body shot. Sandhagen with a left hand. Bautista lands a leg kick. Bautista with a left hook. They trade in close range as Bautista lands a right hand. Both men change levels and Sandhagen connects with a right hand. Bautista lands a right hand inside the pocket and scores a takedown. Bautista takes the back and attacks a leg. 10-9 Bautista.
Sandhagen has an injured leg. Bautista lands a pair of leg kicks to the damaged leg. Sandhagen lands a left hook. Bautista with another leg kick. Bautista lands a combination and Sandhagen counters with a right hand. Bautista lands a pair of leg kicks and a right hand. Bautista lands a combination. They trade while tied up. Bautista looks for a takedown against the fence, but Sandhagen defends and they break apart. Bautista with a knee. Sandhagen lands a right hand after defending a takedown attempt. Sandhagen lands a body kick. Bautista looks for a takedown but Sandhagen defends. Sandhagen defends another takedown attempt by Bautista. Bautista with a leg kick. 10-9 Sandhagen, 19-19.
Bautista lands a left hand and Sandhagen goes down. Bautista starts landing from the top as Sandhagen is scrambling. Sandhagen grabs a leg and looks for a leg lock. Bautista with some punches as he is defending. Bautista escapes and lands a flurry as they get back to their feet. Sandhagen with the clinch and Bautista lands a knee. Bautista scores a takedown. Bautista takes the back and lands. They separate. Bautista lands a left hand. Bautista gets it back down and has back control. They stand and Bautista keeps back control. They get up and Sandhagen gets a brief takedown. They remain clinched up against the fence. They separate and Sandhagen lands an elbow. Bautista with a takedown at the end. 10-9 Bautista, 29-28 Bautista.
Fight Result- Mario Bautista def. Cory Sandhagen by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
> Lightweights- #5 Benoit Saint-Denis (17-3 1 NC, 9-3 UFC) vs. #9 Paddy Pimblett (23-4, 7-1 UFC)
They crack each other with punches as Saint-Denis shoots or a takedown. Pimblett looks for a D’Arce choke and has it locked on. Pimblett is squeezing as it is locked on tight. Saint-Denis goes out cold! WOW!
Fight Result- Paddy Pimblett def. Benoit Saint-Denis by submission (D’Arce choke) at :52 of Round 1
> Welterweights- Conor McGregor (22-6, 10-4 UFC) vs. #4 LW Max Holloway (27-9, 23-9 UFC)
McGregor lands a high kick but slips to the mat. Holloway starts landing from the top. McGregor gets up. McGregor slips to the mat again and Holloway starts landing from the top again. The fight is stopped as McGregor is injured. Anti-climatic. McGregor appeared to injure his knee on the opening switch kick he threw.
Fight Result- Max Holloway def. Conor McGregor by TKO (injury) at 1:09 of Round 1
MMA writer & live coverage specialist, contributor to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter