With such a high-stakes main event, a backup fighter has been chosen for McGregor vs. Holloway 2, ensuring the show goes on no matter what. Mauricio Ruffy even volunteered himself for the role, showing how much fighters want a piece of this action. In other news, a fight on the UFC 329 card was saved at the last minute when a replacement opponent stepped in with only six days' notice, highlighting the unpredictable nature of MMA. It's always a wild ride leading up to these big events.
Sources (14)
We summarise the day's news in our own words. Full credit to the outlets below for the original reporting, click through to read their work.
- UFC 329 Countdown: Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway 2 - Full Episode (MMA Weekly)
- UFC 329 Countdown: Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway 2 - Full Episode (Yahoo Sports)
- UFC 329 fight saved as late replacement opponent steps in on 6 days’ notice (Bloody Elbow)
- Paddy Pimblett backed to earn $100,000 bonus in Benoit Saint-Denis battle at star-studded UFC 329 (Bloody Elbow)
- Anything but Fighting: Brendan Fitzgerald talks Boston media, dream interviews, more (MMA Fighting)
- ‘I Am Ready For Everything’, Mansur Malachiev Targets Joshua Pacio’s Undisputed Gold At The Inner Circle 21 (ONE Championship)
- Paddy Pimblett set for awkward meeting with Conor McGregor 11 years after claiming he’d ’smoke’ him (Bloody Elbow)
- UFC analyst breaks down Benoit Saint Denis’ ‘biggest problem’ when backing Paddy Pimblett at UFC 329 (Bloody Elbow)
- Max Holloway reacts to BMF flop with Charles Oliveira: ‘Be mad at me, I should have stopped him’ (MMA Mania)
- Backup Fighter Chosen For Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway UFC 329 Main Event (Yahoo Sports)
- Charles Oliveira: Herb Dean’s mishandling of Ciryl Gane’s illegal strikes should ‘serve as a lesson’ (MMA Fighting)
- Darren Till warns Conor McGregor of the key factor that could hurt him at UFC 329 (Bloody Elbow)
- ‘UFC 329 Countdown: McGregor vs. Holloway 2’ video (MMA Fighting)
- Mauricio Ruffy volunteers to be backup for Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway UFC 329 main event (MMA Fighting)
Split from that day's roundup, so the sources listed are the full set behind the whole edition rather than this story alone.
This story ran in the July 6, 2026 edition of the daily show.