From the dojo to the octagon—this is Budocast. In this high-stakes episode, we break down the massive UFC 329 headliner between Conor McGregor and Max Holloway. As McGregor aims to paint a "masterpiece" in his first walk to the octagon in five years, Holloway is promising to take the Irishman into "deep waters" for an old-school Hawaiian beating. We also celebrate Independence Day by honoring the "Ultimate American," Don Frye, preview the amateur chaos of Border Wars 19, and debate the top MMA legends in a Mexico vs. England showdown.

Show Notes

UFC 329 Main Event: McGregor vs. Holloway 2

• • The Return of "The Notorious": Conor McGregor returns to action on July 11 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas for a welterweight clash against Max Holloway.
  • Masterpiece vs. Deep Waters: McGregor claims to be in "stellar" condition and ready to put on a clinical performance. Conversely, Holloway predicts "fireworks" and intends to outlast McGregor in the later rounds.
  • Expert Predictions: Two-time featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski believes McGregor will be dangerous early, but expects Holloway to eventually "drown" him if the fight reaches the championship rounds.
  • The Backup Plan: Surging contender Mauricio Ruffy, often compared to McGregor for his striking style, has confirmed he is traveling to Las Vegas to serve as the official backup for the main event.

• • Paddy "The Baddy" Pimblett: Following his dominant stoppage of Michael Chandler, Pimblett returns to face No. 5 ranked Benoit Saint Denis in the co-main event.
  • Vintage Vibes: UFC reporter Megan Olivi shares her insights after visiting McGregor’s camp in Dublin, stating she is convinced "Vintage Conor" and the "Mystic Mac" persona will show up on fight night.

• • Don Frye — The Ultimate American: On the Fourth of July, we celebrate the legend of Don Frye, the first athlete to finish three UFC opponents in less than one minute and the winner of two tournaments in a single year (1996).
  • Border Wars 19: We preview the grassroots intensity of the Border Wars 19 amateur boxing event in Casselberry, Florida, featuring a main event title fight between Quan and Marvin.
  • Mexico vs. England: A deep-dive comparison between the top 5 MMA fighters from each nation, featuring legends like Michael Bisping and Cain Velasquez alongside current stars like Leon Edwards and Alexa Grasso.

• • Jaron "Boots" Ennis: Analysis of the potential blockbuster fights for Ennis, debating whether he should chase a showdown with Devin Haney or Vergil Ortiz Jr..
  • July 4th Boxing Results: Predictions and previews for Mason vs. Bell and the rest of the holiday fight cards.

• • Elite Sports: Leaders in premium fight wear for BJJ and MMA. Gear built to move with you. Visit EliteSports.com.
  • Lotus by Open Black Belt: The ultimate management software for your dojo. Streamline ranks, attendance, and billing. Start your free trial at OpenBlackBelt.com.
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UFC 329 Co-Main & Underdog Stories Independence Day Specials & Combat HeritageBoxing & Fantasy Matchups Sponsors:

Connect with us: Have a story or a question? Reach out at Budocast.com.Train hard, stay humble.

From the dojo to the octagon—this is Budocast. In this episode, we break down the finalized bout order for Conor McGregor’s massive return at UFC 329 against Max Holloway. We also dive into the wild scenes at UFC Baku, where Rafael Fiziev scored a legendary knockout while virtually blind in one eye. Plus, we discuss the controversial salary disclosures from PFL San Diego, Dan Hooker’s theory on why Khabib Nurmagomedov really retired, and Jaron "Boots" Ennis's dominant performance in the boxing ring.

Show Intro Official Budocast opening: Your source for the latest in martial arts news, culture, and competition.

UFC 329: McGregor vs. Holloway 2 Official The UFC has confirmed the full fight card for July 11 at T-Mobile Arena. We discuss the main event—Conor McGregor's first fight in nearly five years—and the stacked main card featuring Paddy Pimblett, Cory Sandhagen, and the highly anticipated debut of Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson.

UFC Baku Debrief: Fiziev’s Visionary Finish Rafael Fiziev details how a jab to his left eye left him seeing double, forcing him to land his Round 2 spinning wheel kick on Manuel Torres essentially "blind". We also highlight Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev’s stunning 8-second knockout, which earned him a $100,000 bonus.

The Mid-Roll Break (Sponsors) A message from our sponsors: Elite Sports (EliteSports.com) for premium fight wear and Lotus by Open Black Belt (OpenBlackBelt.com) for dojo management software.

The Khabib Retirement Debate Dan Hooker stirs the pot, claiming Khabib Nurmagomedov retired because he "mastered the game" and knew when to stop rolling the dice, rather than solely due to a promise to his mother. We also look at Conor McGregor’s recent jab at Khabib regarding the "lack of courage" in refusing rematches.

PFL San Diego: Salaries and Retirements A deep dive into the 90,000paygapbetween∗∗A.J.McKee∗∗(100k) and his opponent Salamat Isbulaev ($10k). We also pay tribute to Ariane Lipski da Silva, "The Queen of Violence," who announced her retirement following her loss to Jena Bishop.

Training Roundup: Strickland and Jubli Sean Strickland shares his unfiltered thoughts after training with India’s Anshul Jubli at the UFC PI, praising the lightweight for "bringing it".

Tha Boxing Voice: Jaron "Boots" Ennis Reigns Supreme Breaking down Boots Ennis’s dominant 7th-round stoppage of Xander Zayas in Brooklyn to become the new unified WBA/WBO junior middleweight king.[27:30] – Outro Closing remarks: Train hard, stay humble.

In this episode of Budocast, we dive into the psychology and business of elite combat sports. Conor McGregor is back in the spotlight, claiming he "sonned" Max Holloway years ago and that the former champion only reached the top by "adopting" his moves. Meanwhile, the MMA world is buzzing after Justin Gaethje’s historic undisputed title win over Ilia Topuria, prompting legend Georges St-Pierre to urge him to retire while on top. We also discuss the fallout of Topuria’s first loss, Paddy Pimblett’s skepticism about his comeback, and the Professional Fighters League’s massive roster expansion, including the retirement fight for the legendary Cris Cyborg

[00:00] – Intro: From the Dojo to the Octagon Welcome to Budocast. Your source for the latest in martial arts news, culture, and competition.[01:15] – The Return of "The Notorious" vs. "Blessed" 2

• • Conor McGregor discusses his upcoming UFC 329 main event against Max Holloway on July 11.
  • McGregor claims Holloway "adopted" his moves to win the world title after their 2013 bout.
  • Analysis of the transition to 170 pounds and McGregor’s belief that he is mentally and physically superior.

• • Justin Gaethje secures undisputed gold with a corner-stoppage victory over Ilia Topuria.
  • Legend Georges St-Pierre (GSP) urges Gaethje to retire on top, stating he has "done it all".
  • The discussion on Gaethje’s quest for equity in a new UFC-owned company for long-term financial stability.

• • Paddy Pimblett critiques Topuria’s ego following his first career defeat at UFC Freedom 250.
  • A look at the physical toll: Topuria suffered facial fractures and a broken nose in the loss.
  • Pimblett questions if Topuria has the "cojones" to return from such a dominant defeat.

• • Elite Sports: Premium fight wear for BJJ and MMA. Visit EliteSports.com.
  • Lotus by Open Black Belt: Dojo management software for tracking ranks and billing. Visit OpenBlackBelt.com.

• • Cris Cyborg announces her retirement fight against Ketlen Vieira for PFL Tampa on August 22.
  • A look back at Cyborg’s 20-year legacy as a champion across five major promotions.
  • The PFL roster expansion: 18 new signings including UFC veteran Javid Basharat.

• • Coach Andre "Dida" discusses Brunno Ferreira’s preparation to neutralize Ikram Aliskerov at UFC Baku.
  • Analysis of Alex Pereira’s loss to Ciryl Gane, highlighting the disadvantage of losing his range advantage at heavyweight.

[05:30] – The Gaethje Legacy: To Retire or Not?[10:00] – Adversity in the Octagon: The Fall of Topuria[13:30] – Mid-Roll Break: Support Our Sponsors[14:45] – PFL’s Global Expansion & Cyborg’s Last Dance[19:30] – Coach’s Corner: UFC Baku and the Heavyweight Landscape[22:15] – Outro: Train Hard, Stay Humble That’s it for this episode of Budocast. Thanks for joining us. We’ll be back soon with more news and insights.