Charles Oliveira said Conor McGregor's return to the Octagon at UFC 329 was originally intended to be against him before McGregor chose Max Holloway.
The revelation highlights the internal matchmaking shifts and missed opportunities for high-profile bouts within the UFC's lightweight and featherweight divisions. It also underscores the physical risks associated with long layoffs in professional mixed martial arts.
McGregor returned to competition on July 8, 2026 [1], at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada [2]. The fight marked McGregor's first appearance in the cage after five years [5]. However, the bout ended prematurely when McGregor suffered an injury to his leg or knee [6, 7] just 69 seconds into the fight [3].
Following the event, Oliveira addressed the missed opportunity to face the former champion. “It was supposed to be me, but he chose Max,” Oliveira said [1].
Oliveira indicated that he had been mentally and physically prepared for the matchup, expressing frustration that the fight did not materialize as initially discussed. “I was ready for that fight, man. It’s a shame it ended like this,” Oliveira said [2].
McGregor entered the bout with a professional MMA record of 22-6 overall and 10-4 in the UFC [4]. The injury occurred in the opening moments of the fight, a sudden conclusion that left both the crowd and the fighting community reacting to the brevity of the comeback.
Oliveira, a former UFC Lightweight Champion, has frequently been linked to McGregor in promotional discussions, but the decision to face Holloway shifted the narrative of the event. The injury to McGregor's lower extremity ended the contest before any significant momentum could be established in the fight.
““It was supposed to be me, but he chose Max,” Oliveira said.”
This situation illustrates the volatility of UFC matchmaking, where fighter preference and promotional value often outweigh predetermined rankings. The fact that McGregor suffered a significant injury after a five-year hiatus suggests the extreme difficulty of returning to elite competition after prolonged inactivity, regardless of the opponent chosen.
