LAS VEGAS — You might have to do a double take at this one.
Ahead of their main event slot at UFC 329, Conor McGregor looked much bigger than Max Holloway on the scales on Friday.
The “Notorious” McGregor weighed in at 170.5 pounds, while Holloway weighed in at 170 pounds on Friday morning, as there were no issues on the scales.
This is a new weight class for Holloway, as 20 months ago, Holloway fought former featherweight champion Ilia Topuria at 145 pounds.
McGregor, a featherweight contender who began in 2013, became the champion in 2015 and then abandoned the division, has fought three times at welterweight.
Holloway has never fought at 170 pounds and appeared far less muscular than McGregor at weigh-ins.
In an interview with journalist Ariel Helwani, former UFC fighter Chael Sonnen explained that McGregor looks massive going into the fight.
“I saw Conor yesterday… This guy’s huge,” Sonnen said. “First off, he’s as hard as a rock, and secondly, I’m looking at him, and I said, ‘Conor, I fought middleweights my whole life. I didn’t fight anybody smaller than you.’”
Making the appearance even more surprising is that Holloway will have a 2-inch height advantage in the bout.
The Hawaiian stands at 5-foot-11, while McGregor is two inches shorter at 5-foot-9.
The all-important reach advantage goes to McGregor, who has a 74-inch reach, compared to Holloway’s 69 inches.
How Holloway adjusts to a completely different weight class will be the story of the fight, having fought 30 pounds lighter less than two years ago.
McGregor fought Holloway at featherweight when their careers were in their infancy in 2013, as McGregor won by unanimous decision after tearing his ACL midway through the bout.
Ceremonial weigh-ins on Friday night will tell a further story as these combatants will face off ahead of their Saturday night matchup.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
