Chael Sonnen: Conor McGregor needs early knockout at UFC 329

Chael Sonnen says Conor McGregor has one narrow path to victory when he faces Max Holloway at UFC 329 on Saturday night in Las Vegas.

The former title challenger told Paramount+ that McGregor must finish Holloway early if he wants to win the welterweight rematch, thirteen years after they first met at featherweight. "If somebody tells me they think Conor's going to win, what I'm hearing is they think Conor's going to knock him out," Sonnen said. "And if somebody's telling me they think Conor's going to knock him out, what I'm hearing is they think he's going to do it in the first round. That's probably the most likely way."

McGregor faces three major obstacles in comeback fight

Sonnen acknowledged the scale of McGregor's comeback attempt following the in-cage leg fracture he suffered against Dustin Poirier in 2021. The analyst called it the worst injury he has seen in the sport, then pointed to two additional problems: McGregor is competing outside his prime weight class, and he agreed to a five-round main event after more than three years away from competition.

The former two-division champion moving up to 170 pounds while putting in less intense training camps sent a troubling signal, Sonnen suggested. Historically, fighters who return to action in heavier divisions after long layoffs have not fared well, he noted, drawing a comparison to similar failures in boxing.

UFC 329 takes place Saturday at T-Mobile Arena with McGregor and Holloway meeting in the main event.

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• Sherdog — Chael Sonnen gives Conor McGregor a reality check before UFC 329