UFC 329 was tracking to be the most viewed event on Paramount+, surpassing UFC Freedom 250. The reason for that is because this was Conor McGregor’s return, five years in the making almost to the very day.
As anticlimactic as the main event was, the card still had some standout moments. Paddy Pimblett notched an impressively quick finish of Benoit Saint Denis, Brandon Royval and Lone’er Kavanagh put on an absolute show and the seemingly unkillable King Green score a last-second first-round comeback win against Terrance McKinney. With UFC 329 now behind us, let’s look at what’s next for the winners.
Max Holloway
Since there’s barely any information we can take from this result, Max Holloway unfortunately finds himself in pretty much the exact same situation he was in after the Charles Oliveira loss in March. We should therefore think of his next fight in the same way as we would have if Conor McGregor has not been part of this equation. Holloway would still be a top5 lightweight coming off a loss needing to hold his spot against an up-and-comer. That is why I think the striking matchup with rising contender Mauricio Ruffy is utterly fascinating and guaranteed fireworks.
Holloway’s next fight: Mauricio Ruffy
Paddy Pimblett
After taking his first UFC loss back in January against now undisputed champion Justin Gaethje, Paddy Pimbett bounced right back, making very short work of Benoit Saint Denis. A failed takedown attempt by Saint Denis resulted in Pimblett immediately attacking the neck and putting the Frenchman to sleep with a nasty guillotine choke. Already a fan favourite, options are not lacking for Pimblett. I could see him face Charles Oliveira for the BMF title just as much as I could see him being Ilia Topuria’s comeback fight. I prefer the Topuria fight, because it’s genuinely rare nowadays to have real bad blood in a high stakes bout. Additionally, Topuria’s recovery will take some time, but Pimblett’s never been the most active fighter anyways, so I think he’d be willing to wait for Ilia.
Pimblett’s next fight: Ilia Topuria
Mario Bautista
After running through Vinicius Oliveira in February, Mario Bautista asked for a rematch with Cory Sandhagen and saw his wish granted by the UFC. He made the most out of this opportunity by winning a decision and avenging the loss. A leg lock at the tail end of the first round compromised Sandhagen’s left leg for the remainder of the fight. A knockdown to start round 3 followed by multiple mat returns made the result a clear one.
If Merab Dvalishvili gets his trilogy with Yan, then Bautista should fight David Martinez or Song Yadong, should he beat Umar Nurmagomedov in Shanghai. If Sean O’Malley gets the shot, then Bautista should instead face Merab. My hunch currently being that Merab will get the next shot, I will go with David Martinez.
Bautista’s next fight: David Martinez
Brandon Royval
The self-proclaimed Master of Chaos once again proved why he is worthy of that nickname as he stood toe-to-toe with the hard-hitting Lone’er Kavanagh and left the octagon with his hand raised. It wasn’t without adversity, but Royval managed to outlast the highly touted Englishman to get back in the win column after losing his previous two bouts. Having already gotten a title shot and having recently lost to both the current champion and the number one contender, it will be exceedingly difficult for Royval to get back into title contention. For that reason, I think the promotion will keep booking him against fighters ranked lower than him. I think the winner of the upcoming Steve Erceg vs Ramazan Temirov bout is the most likely next fight for Royval.
Royval’s next fight: Erceg/Temirov winner
King Green
We’re midway through 2026 and King Green somehow finds himself on a four-fight win streak. This win was a testament to Green’s resilience and overall veteran savviness. He had to overcome the onslaught of first-round Terrance McKinney, but once he found an opening, he immediately took advantage of it. As for what’s next, there’s a fight that has never happened that I will keep asking for until it gets booked: King Green vs Michael Johnson.
Green’s next fight: Michael Johnson
