Adam Catterall says Conor McGregor is taking his fight with Max Holloway ‘incredibly seriously’ ahead of their UFC 329 showdown.
After five years out of the Octagon, McGregor prepares to make his return next Saturday against Holloway, who has fought eight times since McGregor’s defeat to Dustin Poirier in July 2021.
In that time, Holloway has fought for the UFC featherweight championship twice and defeated Justin Gaethje and Poirier for the BMF title.
Still only 37, McGregor should have plenty of miles left in the tank, especially given that he’s actually spent relatively little time in the Octagon, but with so much inactivity and the recovery from a broken leg, Catterall is unsure exactly what level ‘The Notorious’ is at.
“That is the million dollar question,” said Catterall, speaking exclusively to bet365 at the talkSPORT Padel World Cup.
“What I do know is the mind of McGregor will never change, so he’s always going to be dedicated to the craft, he’s always going to put everything he’s got into a particular camp.
“The noise that I’m getting out of that camp is that he is taking it incredibly seriously, but you’re talking about five years of inactivity on the back of a very serious injury, a lifestyle that doesn’t necessarily work with elite-level mixed martial arts and he’s now fighting in a weight category which is higher than where he was at his peak.”
“We know what we’re getting with Max. Max is going to be absolutely mustard. The only question I’ve got coming into this fight is what does he look like at 170?
“That’s a lot higher than he’s fought at before, so the weight division you’d think would suit McGregor.
“People are saying Max Hollway’s washed; he’s nowhere near washed, he’s still at the peak of his powers, and for me, anyone that’s criticising the matchup, I think what you should do is reframe it and look at it from Max’s point of view.
“Has Max Holloway served his time in the UFC to deserve the ‘red panty night’? Yes he has, absolutely. He deserves a go at the rematch with McGregor and there’s nobody more deserving to make a boatload of cash.”
