Mario Bautista is backing Max Holloway to get the better of Conor McGregor when the two former rivals meet in the main event of UFC 329 next week.
Bautista, who faces Cory Sandhagen earlier on the main card at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on July 11, shared his prediction during a recent interview with Jake Noecker of Home of Fight. While acknowledging McGregor's knockout power, the bantamweight contender believes Holloway's activity and experience will prove decisive if the fight extends beyond the opening rounds.
"I'm going to go for Max Holloway on that one," Bautista said. "Yeah, I think he's just been super active and he's just a great fighter, high IQ. And the later this fight goes, if Conor doesn't get a quick knockout, I think it plays more into Max Holloway's hands."
The UFC 329 headliner marks the second meeting between Holloway and McGregor. Their first encounter came in 2013, when McGregor earned a unanimous decision victory over a 21-year-old Holloway in a three-round featherweight bout.
Much has changed since then, with Holloway going on to become one of the greatest featherweights in UFC history, while McGregor became the promotion's first simultaneous two-division champion.
The rematch will also mark McGregor's first appearance inside the Octagon since he suffered a devastating leg injury in his trilogy bout against Dustin Poirier five years ago. After a lengthy absence from competition, McGregor returns against a veteran opponent who has remained one of the UFC's most active elite fighters.
Bautista believes that activity could ultimately be the deciding factor, predicting Holloway's pace, experience, and fight IQ will wear McGregor down if the former two-division champion is unable to secure an early finish.
