Aspinall predicts McGregor left-hand KO over Holloway at UFC 329

UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall has predicted that returning superstar Conor McGregor of Ireland will knock out Max Holloway of the United States in the first round.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Aspinall previewed UFC 329 and said McGregor is "an unbelievable fighter when he's at his best" and already has a win over Holloway. "I watched a recent interview with him and he looked very mentally settled and focused," Aspinall added.

The two fighters first met in 2013, when McGregor won by unanimous decision despite tearing his ACL during the bout. Their rematch takes place Sunday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas at UFC 329, 13 years after that first encounter.

Oddsmakers have installed Holloway as the favorite, citing his recent form and McGregor's five-year layoff.

Aspinall also spoke highly of Holloway's recent performances. "Holloway has outstanding striking IQ and barely gets hit. He put on an incredible performance against Justin Gaethje," he said, while noting that a fight with McGregor would likely turn into a striking battle.

On McGregor, Aspinall highlighted his one-punch power. "The Eddie Alvarez fight was McGregor at his best. The biggest variable is what he looks like after a six-year absence, but his power never goes away," he said. "He's a fighter who can end the fight with one shot."

In the end, Aspinall picked McGregor. "McGregor will land a powerful left hand and win by first-round KO," he said. "UFC 329 is going to be a very exciting fight and an outstanding event."

Meanwhile, UFC cage announcer Bruce Buffer marveled at McGregor's box-office pull. In an interview with BJPenn.com, Buffer said McGregor "still has massive popularity and still has the power to get people excited." "That's why tickets for this event sold out in minutes, and why scalpers are getting enormous prices," he said.

Buffer added that he had heard predictions the McGregor-Holloway fight could surpass the viewership of the White House event. "Half the people will want him to win and half will want him to lose, but either way everyone is going to watch this fight," he said.