Dustin Poirier Gives Early Assessment of Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway at UFC 329
Retired UFC legend Dustin Poirier recently shared his early prediction of the UFC 329 main event fight between Max Holloway and Conor McGregor during an episode of the "Deep Waters" podcast. Sitting alongside fellow UFC veterans Din Thomas, Jorge Masvidal, and Chris Weidman, "The Diamond" knows more about both Holloway and McGregor than anyone else in the room, having fought against both men three times each and having a winning record for both trilogies.
Despite his hostile relationship with McGregor, Poirier was quick to compliment him and give him more of a chance than the rest of the "Deep Waters" panel.
"The thing is, Conor has the power. No matter the injury, that's going to be there still. The timing, other things matter. But the power's going to be there," he stated.
Watch the full clip of the "Deep Waters" crew reacting to the fight announcement here (via UFC on Paramount+ on YouTube):
In his trilogy against McGregor, Poirier was knocked out in their first fight, scored his own knockout of McGregor in their rematch, then won the rubber match via injury TKO.
The bad blood between himself and "The Notorious One" has not prevented Poirier from complimenting his fighting skills and star power, as he was previously hoping McGregor would get booked for UFC Freedom 250 at the White House.
Poirier, however, said that while he still believes in the celebrity and unparalleled trash talk of McGregor, it has lost some of its sting because his performance in the cage as of late is not enough to back it up.
"He had so many moments in these press conferences, but the thing was, he was doing all this crazy stuff and performing," he added.
During the episode, Poirier even chose McGregor as no. 3 on his list of top five favorite fighters to watch:
Dustin Poirier gives us his top five favorite fighters to watch
— UFC on Paramount+ (@UFConParamount) May 18, 2026
1. Alex Pereira
2. Ilia Topuria
3. Conor McGregor
4. Justin Gaethje
5. Max Holloway pic.twitter.com/vtxzvYVyGj
"He's must-watch TV any time he fights," Poirier said with admiration. "He hasn't fought in five years and the whole world can wait for his return... he's still a super star."
Odds Are Against McGregor
Regarding the fight itself, Jorge Masvidal said confidently, "I think Max smokes [McGregor] like a brisket."
Masvidal's opinion of the fight lines up with the odds, which had McGregor open up as a significant underdog for his return against the younger, more active Holloway. Fight Odds currently lists Holloway as a -440 favorite against Conor, who is listed as a +370 underdog.
"I saw some odds," Poirier remarked. "Also, it's at 170lbs. Maybe wait to pull the trigger on a bet because the lines are gonna change."
Masvidal also pointed to Holloway's "cleaner" lifestyle as to why he believes Conor stands little chance.
"I think Conor lives a certain lifestyle we've all seen. I can tell it's not for show. It's really his lifestyle," he claimed, referencing McGregor's nightlife exploits.
Conversely, Masvidal said that "Max lives a completely different lifestyle. I've never seen Max at a club, drunk. I never see him in the headlines for anything bad. That guy lives a different life, where he's gym, family, gym, family, gym, family."
He believes Holloway's straight and narrow path allows him to become the best martial artist he can be.
"You can be away from the sport for five years and come back as if nothing happened, if you live that life," he claimed.
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This story was originally published May 18, 2026 at 11:53 PM.