Mauricio Ruffy has stepped in as the backup fighter for the Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway main event at UFC 329, and few backups in recent memory have carried this kind of threat. The Brazilian confirmed the news himself, saying he is heading to Las Vegas and cutting weight in case either man falls out before July 11.
Ruffy is coming off the biggest win of his career. At UFC Freedom 250 on the White House lawn last month, he knocked out Michael Chandler with a spinning wheel kick and follow-up punches at 4:29 of the first round, one of the standout finishes of 2026.
He holds a 5-1 UFC record with four wins by knockout, and he’s on a run that also includes a stoppage of Rafael Fiziev at UFC 325. His flashy, distance-heavy striking has drawn frequent comparisons to a young McGregor, which adds an odd wrinkle to him lurking as the replacement for McGregor’s own return.
The backup slot exists because of McGregor’s recent history. He was famously forced out of a UFC 303 booking against Chandler in 2024 with a toe injury, and the promotion is guarding against another late collapse of a marquee main event during International Fight Week.
If both McGregor and Holloway make it to Saturday, Ruffy goes home without fighting. If either doesn’t, one of the division’s most dangerous strikers is standing by.
