The replacement fighter for UFC 329’s main event has been revealed should either Conor McGregor or Max Holloway not be able to compete this Saturday.

McGregor is due to return to the Octagon for the first time in five years following a leg break in the first round of his bout against Dustin Poirier. It will be the second time he has fought against Holloway, having faced him in 2013, where the Irishman won via the judges’ scorecards.

There are currently no signs to suggest McGregor or Holloway will miss the event this weekend, despite some UFC fans fearing the worst regarding the former due to recent activity, but a replacement fighter is always chosen as a precaution.

UFC 329 Replacement Fighter Named

The fighter picked to fly out to Nevada is Mauricio Ruffy, the #10 fighter in the lightweight rankings.

“I’m going on a trip to Las Vegas,” the Brazilian said. “I took good care of myself. These guys made me train in the middle of my vacation.”

Ruffy’s last fight was just last month, when he participated in the White House card, where he won via TKO in the first round of his fight with Michael Chandler. ‘One Shot’ currently comes in at 185lbs, meaning he would need to lose 15lbs before Friday’s weigh-in. He is expected to step on the scales along with McGregor and Holloway in case he is required to step in.

Discussing the possibility of facing off against McGregor or Holloway, Ruffy said: “Me against Conor McGregor. I believe it would be a very good fight.

What McGregor & Holloway Have Said Pre-Fight

McGregor, though, is his usual confident self, maintaining the self-belief that he can knock Holloway out once more.

“You do not want to be anywhere inside that Octagon with me,” he said. “I am dangerous everywhere. I can knock you unconscious from everywhere inside that Octagon, and that’s what I plan to do. There’s a different animal entirely that is in front of Max Holloway here, and he’s going to feel every bit of it.”

Holloway, meanwhile, expects a thrilling, adrenaline-filled fight, stating: “At the end of the day, I’ve got to go out there, I’ve got to be exciting. I’ve got to get a big finish, or if not a big finish, a super dominant win in a way where people are just mind-blown, and people are excited about it.

“People keep forgetting. Yes, we’re fighters, we need to win, but we’re also entertainers. That’s what I plan to do. That’s why people tune into my fights, and this fight is going to be no different.”

Tim Henman enjoyed a successful tennis career, collecting 11 ATP Tour singles titles and climbing to a career-high world No. 4 ranking in 2002. Grass and hard courts proved to be his strongest surfaces, helping him reach the semi-finals at both Wimbledon and the US Open.

At SW19, Henman made it to the last four on four occasions, but was unable to progress to the final. The Brit competed in a highly competitive era, with stars including Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, and Goran Ivanisevic regularly challenging for the Wimbledon crown.

Since retiring from professional tennis, Henman has established himself as a respected commentator. In August 2023, the 50-year-old shared his opinion on the greatest grass court player in history during a Reddit Q&A hosted by Sky Sports.

Before Andy Murray emerged, Henman carried Britain’s hopes at Wimbledon. Fred Perry was the last British man to win the singles title in 1936, and the long wait finally ended when Murray lifted the trophy in 2013.

Henman made his Wimbledon main-draw debut in 1994. Over the course of his career, he reached at least the quarter-finals at the All England Club eight times, but never captured the championship.

Nevertheless, the famous spectator bank became known as ‘Henman Hill’ during the 1990s, as supporters gathered there to watch the Englishman make deep runs. Following Murray’s two Wimbledon triumphs, many fans began referring to it as ‘Murray Mound.’

Tim Henman Snubs Roger Federer As Grass Court GOAT

Speaking during the 2023 Reddit Q&A, Henman was asked what presented the biggest obstacle to reaching a Wimbledon final, to which he gave the following response:

“I think Pete Sampras was someone that I played quite a lot in my career. I played him in the final of Queen’s. I played him in two Wimbledon semi-finals in ’98 and ’99.

The pair first faced each other at Wimbledon in 1995, when Sampras defeated the wildcard Henman in the second round. They later met twice more at the Championships, both in the semi-finals, with Sampras coming out on top each time.

As Henman also recalled, they contested the Queen’s Club final in 1999. Although Sampras dropped the opening set, the 14-time Grand Slam champion fought back to claim the title in three sets.

Across their seven career meetings, Sampras won six of them.

All eyes were on Cristiano Ronaldo as Portugal took on Spain in the World Cup Last 16, but the veteran forward looked every bit his 41 years of age as his nation lost 1-0.

Despite its billing, the game was a low-key event as both teams struggled to create much. In the end, Mikel Merino came off the bench to net a winner, keeping his cool when put through on goal in the 91st minute.

And with that, Ronaldo’s hopes of winning at the World Cup came to an end. This was his sixth time playing in the tournament, but having failed to go all the way yet again, he has now confirmed this was his last shot at glory.

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Jerome

The Al-Nassr striker’s inclusion in the team has been up for debate for some time now. He failed to score at Euro 2024, but kept his place in the team this summer. Thierry Henry was among those to question just how useful it was to have Ronaldo in the Portugal starting XI.

The 41-year-old scored two goals against Uzbekistan and a penalty vs Croatia in his five World Cup outings, but he struggled to have any impact against Spain. In light of the 1-0 defeat, the Portuguese media have now dropped a very clear verdict on Ronaldo, suggesting it’s time he stepped away from the national team.

Portugal’s A Bola strongly stated:

Portuguese outlet Record added: “Ronaldo finished his last stage with another regret, recording 11 World Cup goals in total (3 in this tournament).

“Unfortunately, this kind of scene was not new to Ronaldo and the Portuguese people. He was eliminated in the round of 16 by Morocco in the 2022 Qatar tournament and cried in the tunnel heading to the locker room. Ronaldo’s end on the world’s biggest stage became one of sadness.”

A Bola were also baffled that Ronaldo wasn’t subbed off sooner for Gonçalo Ramos, although it laid the blame at the feet of manager Roberto Martinez (who has since quit).

Their journalists wrote, “There is only one person responsible. Martinez,” before adding: “The obsession with never touching the established status of Ronaldo and [Bruno] Fernandes ultimately left Portugal in tears.

“Not putting Ramos in was the final scene of the horror movie Martínez showed. It was like choosing a diplomatic coach who would smile and wave while the house was burning rather than causing a stir. Ramos was a player who produced an attacking point every 37 minutes on average at the World Cup.”

Writers from A Bola then urged change, saying,

Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo crying via Reuters/Jerome Miron

Adding to the criticism, the Spanish media have also commented on Ronaldo’s final World Cup outing, as they watched their countrymen knock Portugal out of the tournament. As quoted by the Mirror, ABC wrote:

“Lacking speed, dribbling and bite. At times, he didn’t even seem to know what to do with the ball. “His lacklustre performance wasn’t enough to send him to the bench, which partly explains the meagre attacking output of a Portugal side that relied on him as its main attacking threat.”

La Razon called “participation in the game was limited” and highlighted his lack of movement: “Over the years, his range of action on the field has considerably reduced, and he no longer possesses the explosiveness that characterised much of his career.

“He was the player who covered the fewest kilometres and never came close to truly troubling Unai Simon. He left without the leading role he had envisioned for such a momentous night, although with the feeling of having given everything he had.”

AS summed things up as they asked: “What about Cristiano? No sign of him.”