Conor McGregor’s Cardio, Pressure Under Scrutiny As UFC Experts Weigh In

Every Conor McGregor fight arrives with a familiar question: Can he still be the same fighter who once ruled two UFC divisions? His last UFC appearance ended in disappointment against Dustin Poirier, and after years away from the Octagon, the uncertainty surrounding his return has only grown.

It's no longer just about the Dubliner’s sniper left hand or his ability to sell a fight. Much of the discussion now centers on what time away from competition has taken from him and whether he can still perform under the brightest lights.

As anticipation builds for his return against Max Holloway, two respected UFC voices, Matt Brown and Belal Muhammad, have highlighted very different concerns that could shape the fight.

Matt Brown Explains Why This Isn’t the Same Conor McGregor

It's safe to say that few fighters understand what it takes to compete at the highest level quite like longtime UFC veteran Matt Brown (26-19-0 over a 15-year tenure in the promotion).  

While he doesn't expect fans to see the same version of McGregor (22-6-0) who ran through the featherweight and lightweight divisions, the 45-year-old also believes writing him off completely would be a mistake.

"We're not going to see the same Conor, that's for sure," Brown stated. For the former Welterweight veteran, that doesn't simply come down to age or inactivity. He acknowledged that McGregor is unlikely to possess the same hunger that fueled his rapid rise to superstardom. 

At the same time, he argued that recent setbacks against Poirier have created a different kind of motivation.

"When we say that we're not going to see the same Conor again, we know that because he is not going to have that same hunger he had before," the veteran explained. "But coming off a couple of losses, he's got something to prove now."

Legacy Fight Awaits Conor McGregor Saturday, According to Matt Brown

In Brown's view, this isn't just another lucrative McGregor pay-per-view. It's a fight that could shape how the former two-division champion would be remembered going forward.

"This is a very, very big fight for him personally," Brown said. "Every Conor McGregor fight is big publicly, but personally this is the world to him."

That, Brown believes, creates immense pressure. "He might have some of that hunger that he's got to win this fight. He's got to prove the motherf***ers wrong. This is putting him in the pressure cooker. He has to win this fight. This is a terrible look if he doesn't win this fight and really affects a lot of things going forward."

Rather than questioning McGregor's capability, Brown's assessment focused on the mental side of the sport. 

Belal Muhammad Believes McGregor's Added Muscle Could be Liability

While Brown focused on the psychological side of McGregor's return, former UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad looked at it from a tactical perspective.

Muhammad's biggest concern wasn't McGregor's striking or his ring rust; it was his gas tank. "(McGregor) had a lot of muscles added to his body. His cardio is gonna get drained," Muhammad said on his channel while discussing the UFC 329 main event.

Over the years, McGregor has noticeably added size to his frame, especially during his extended time away from competition. Muhammad believes that extra muscle, combined with years outside the cage and a move to a heavier weight class, could make endurance one of the biggest storylines on fight night.

"When he was at the top, his cardio was a problem," Muhammad said. "Now, five years off, extra muscle, higher weight class, I think his cardio is going to be an even bigger problem."

Holloway Should Force McGregor into Laborious Fight 

Because of that, Muhammad believes Holloway's (27-9-0) gameplan shouldn't revolve around matching McGregor's striking early. Instead, he suggested making McGregor work from the opening bell.

"So for Holloway I'd definitely add a takedown to wear on him," Muhammad explained. "Even initiate the clinch, just stay away from the left hand."

The strategy isn't necessarily about securing prolonged control on the ground. Rather, it's about forcing McGregor to carry another man's weight, making him work in the clinch, and extending the fight beyond the explosive opening minutes where he's historically been at his most dangerous.