UFC 329 Best Bets and Predictions

UFC 329 Best Bets and Predictions

After a one-week hiatus because of the Fourth of July, the UFC is back this weekend with another star-studded event, that being UFC 329.

UFC 329 is scheduled to take place on Saturday, July 11, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The fight card will consist of 14 total fights between the main card and the preliminary card and will feature a main event in the Welterweight division between Conor McGregor and Max Holloway.

Our article is set to break down three of our favorite UFC 329 fights, providing you with our best bet for each one.

UFC 329 Predictions

Pick #1: Conor McGregor ML over Max Holloway (+185)

Pick #2: Benoit Saint Denis ML over Paddy Pimblett (-155)

Pick #3: Mario Bautista ML over Cory Sandhagen (+114)

PICK #1: Conor McGregor ML over Max Holloway (+185) 

Our top pick for UFC 329 will target McGregor to upset Holloway in the main event. McGregor is the biggest storyline at UFC 329, as he is returning to the UFC for the first time since July 2021. 

McGregor enters this fight with an MMA record of 22-6 and 10-4 in the UFC. He is known for being a pure striker, averaging 5.32 significant strikes per minute with a striking accuracy of 49%. This is compared to his grappling, where he averages just 0.67 takedowns every 15 minutes.

As for Holloway, he enters this fight with an MMA record of 27-9 and 23-9 in the UFC. As successful as Holloway has been throughout his career, he has lost two of his last three UFC fights, the most recent being a loss to Charles Oliveira by unanimous decision back in March 2026. Like McGregor, Holloway also relies heavily on his striking, averaging 6.91 significant strikes per minute with a striking accuracy of 48%.

There is plenty of reason to believe that Holloway will be able to spoil the return of McGregor, but given McGregor’s ability to end fights quickly, and the fact that he has been preparing and training for a comeback for five years, backing McGregor to pull off an upset will be our best bet. 

PICK #2: Benoit Saint Denis ML over Paddy Pimblett (-155)

Our second pick at UFC 329 will be for Benoit Saint Denis to beat Paddy Pimblett in the co-main event. Saint Denis enters this fight with an MMA record of 17-3 and 9-3 in the UFC. He is currently riding a four-fight win streak in the UFC, the most recent being a win against Dan Hooker by KO/TKO back in January 2026.

Saint Denis has proven to be an extremely balanced UFC fighter, averaging 5.62 significant strikes per minute, 4.19 takedowns every 15 minutes and 1.8 submission attempts every 15 minutes.

Pimblett, on the other hand, enters this fight with an MMA record of 23-4 and 7-1 in the UFC. He most recently suffered his first UFC defeat in his last fight, losing to Justin Gaethje by unanimous decision in January 2026.

Unlike Saint Denis, Pimblett is much more of a pure striker, averaging 5.49 significant strikes per minute. This is compared to his grappling, where he averages 0.69 takedowns every 15 minutes and 1.2 submission attempts every 15 minutes.

As successful as Pimblett has been in the UFC, he looks likely to struggle in this fight. This is because his takedown defense is one of his weaknesses, an area that Saint Denis has excelled in. Look for Saint Denis to emerge victorious because of it. 

PICK #3: Mario Bautista ML over Cory Sandhagen (+114)

Our third pick at UFC 329 will be for Mario Bautista to beat Cory Sandhagen. Bautista enters this fight with an MMA record of 17-3 and 11-3 in the UFC. His most recent UFC fight resulted in a win against Vinicius Oliveira by submission in February. 

Throughout his UFC career, Bautista has been a balanced fighter, averaging 5.30 significant strikes per minute and 1.91 takedowns every 15 minutes.

Sandhagen, on the other hand, enters this fight with an MMA record of 18-6 and 11-5 in the UFC, with his most recent UFC fight resulting in a loss to Merab Dvalishvili by unanimous decision back in October. Sandhagen is also a fairly balanced fighter in the UFC, averaging 4.86 significant strikes per minute and 1.15 takedowns every 15 minutes.

Even though Sandhagen is the clear favorite in this fight, his recent inconsistent streak in the UFC makes Bautista a great underdog pick. Sandhagen is 4-4 over his last eight UFC fights, while Bautista is 10-1 over his last 11 UFC fights. Let’s ride the hot hand.