Islam Makhachev praises Conor McGregor's return, but bets against the Irishman at UFC 329.

The welterweight champion highlights McGregor's importance to the sport, but points to Max Holloway as the favorite in the main event.

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The atmosphere heated up in Dubai last Saturday, when two of the biggest names in world MMA met in the same place. Conor McGregor and Islam Makhachev, who have already exchanged barbs on social media, were present at the IBA Champions' Night event, which featured several boxing fights. McGregor, who is recovering from a broken leg suffered in his last fight against Dustin Poirier, entered the ring to greet former UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan, who won his fight by technical knockout. The Irishman, known for his provocations, praised the Russian and said he would like to face him in the future. However, what caught fans' attention was the presence of Makhachev, who was sitting in the front row of the event, opposite McGregor. The Russian, who is currently number one in the UFC lightweight rankings, is a friend and training partner of Khabib Nurmagomedov, McGregor's biggest career rival. Makhachev and McGregor have criticized each other several times on social media, and the Russian even challenged the Irishman to a fight, saying it would be easy to beat him. McGregor, in turn, responded that Makhachev was "s***" and that he should face Charles do Bronx, the current champion of the category. The meeting between the two in Dubai did not feature any physical confrontation, but it certainly raised fans' expectations for a possible fight between them in the future. McGregor still doesn't have a date to return to the Octagon, but he has already stated that he wants to face the winner of the fight between Do Bronx and Justin Gaethje, which takes place in October. Makhachev is waiting for a chance to fight for the belt, but he still doesn't have a defined opponent. Photo: Montage/SUPER FIGHTS

Islam Makhachev and Conor McGregor are featured in the UFC. Photo: Montage/SUPER LUTAS

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Islam Makhachev views Conor McGregor 's return favorably. The Irishman is scheduled to face Max Holloway in the main event of UFC 329 , set for July 11th during International Fight Week. Despite the historic rivalry between McGregor and fighters from Dagestan, the welterweight champion (up to 77 kg) praised the return of 'The Notorious', but indicated the Hawaiian as the favorite for the fight.

In an interview with 'UFC on TNT', Makhachev highlighted McGregor's importance to the sport, emphasizing his impact as one of the biggest stars in MMA. However, when analyzing the fight, the Russian expressed confidence in Max Holloway 's victory , pointing to the high level of difficulty of the confrontation for the Irishman.

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“That’s good. He’s a big name. Good for our sport. And he has a tough opponent… I think Max Holloway will win,” said Islam Makhachev.

The duel between Conor McGregor and Max Holloway is a rematch.

Holloway McGregor McGregor defeated Holloway via judges' decision. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram

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Before becoming major stars and former UFC champions, Conor McGregor and Max Holloway faced each other while still seeking to rise in the organization. The fight took place in 2013, and the Irishman emerged victorious by unanimous decision.

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Conor McGregor Islam makhachev Max Holloway UFC 329

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