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đź”´ UFC 329: Post-Fight Press Conference

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UFC 329 Post-Fight Press Conference Summary

This post-fight press conference featured UFC athletes and UFC President Dana White discussing outcomes from UFC 329—especially the main event and other notable performances on a record-setting card.

Marlon (Post-Fight)

  • Reaction to the win: Marlon praised the victory as intense and “crazy,” describing the experience of walking out to a large crowd and securing a rematch win over Cory Sandhagen—something he said he had “manifested for years.”
  • What the fight meant: He emphasized the bout mattered for rankings/title positioning, but still carried personal significance due to the matchup itself.
  • On Cory’s early injury: Marlon said he injured Sandhagen’s leg early (referencing a knee/leg-related moment), which opened up more striking opportunities. He added it slowed Cory down and allowed him to land bigger shots later.
  • Looking ahead to the third round: Marlon anticipated it could be 1–1 going into that frame and said he would give “it [his] all” specifically in round three.
  • Tournament/title outlook: He said he didn’t know who was next yet, but hoped to fight for the belt or the #1 contender slot by “maybe the end of this year, early next year.”
  • Addressing “stepping stone” criticism: Marlon pushed back on criticism that he’s treated like a “stepping stone” instead of being rewarded with title shots. He said he can be “the dark horse,” framed his career as always taking the “hard route,” and insisted his focus is simply on continuing to win.
  • Fan support question: He said fans are “coming around,” especially after a prior loss to Umar, noting his style and effort resonate.
  • Whether he watched the main event: Marlon said he heard about Conor’s leg buckle/injury after a flying-knee-like moment.

Main Event Context (Dana White and Others)

  • Overall card assessment: Dana White said the card felt like one of the best in UFC history—until the unusual main-event ending.
  • Reason it was hard for fighters: He noted the fight was especially difficult for those involved due to a five-year layoff. He expected a competitive battle (at least a one-round war), but the main event ended abruptly with what appeared to be an ACL-type injury.
    • Dana said he isn’t a doctor, but that he thought it was ACL-related and that doctors may have agreed.
  • Status updates: Dana said he had not yet spoken to Conor directly and that more would be known after an MRI.
  • Fight-making discussion: Dana indicated he doesn’t like talking about matchmaking on the night of the event—especially given how much remained unknown.
  • Co-main event performance (Pimblett/Saint-Denis):
    • Dana described Saint-Denis’ crowd entrance as special.
    • He said Saint-Denis’ performance made him look like a world-champion level fighter, describing a plan to keep the fight standing long enough to strike, then shoot for a takedown and secure a nasty choke.
    • Dana said Saint-Denis’ momentum and star status grew quickly after an earlier loss.

Scheduling, Broadcasts, and UFC Business (Dana White)

Attendance and financials

  • Attendance: 20,076 (sold out)
  • Gate: $26.4 million (highest gate in history)
  • Fight of the Night: Royval vs. Cavana
  • Performance awards mentioned: Bobby Green and Paddy Pimblett

Paramount+ replay issue

  • Dana said fans can’t watch full replays due to music/licensing and because walkouts are removed, adding that the UFC is “working on it.”

Conor vs. UFC future / trilogy talk

  • Discussion among the press group included the idea of a trilogy, but Dana emphasized that they need time and MRI results before meaningful next steps.

Gable Steveson UFC debut

  • Dana praised Steveson’s showing, saying he didn’t “stink the place up” like some expected from a top wrestler.
  • He described Steveson as looking like a complete mixed martial artist, highlighting kicks, punches, and willingness to stand.

Injury/legality and face-offs

  • Multiple questions focused on whether Conor was injured prior to the fight.
  • Dana and others suggested Conor looked fine at weigh-ins, was checked by doctors beforehand, and argued a pre-existing issue likely wouldn’t have gone unnoticed given the huge view counts of the face-off.

Zuffa Boxing and spectacle events

  • Dana discussed plans for Zuffa Boxing and large spectacle productions.
  • He repeatedly said they aim to “keep topping” previous productions.
  • He joked about mistakes in celebrity segments and graphics, while stating the overall show was “flawless,” especially praising revamped tunnel walkouts.

Ireland and venue sizes

  • Dana said the UFC could return to Ireland.
  • He suggested the Dublin venue is too small for an event like UFC 329, but said a fight night there is possible.

Other Q&A highlights

  • Boxing questions related to Ryan Garcia / Golden Boy were not answered in detail, but said to be handled in coming weeks.
  • Questions about Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua timing/location were not answered directly, beyond saying Dana knows where it is but won’t disclose details.

Paddy Pimblett (Post-Fight Reflections)

  • Entrance and atmosphere: Paddy called his entrance and walkout “spectacular,” saying the atmosphere with Conor present made it feel like it was another level.
  • Mental switch: He described switching from celebration to violence once he sees his opponent—saying he essentially decides, immediately, to “kill him first.”
  • Finish sequence:
    • Paddy said his corner advised him not to burn his arms out.
    • He claimed the submission came together exactly as planned, describing drilling a related neck-tie style in camp and executing it quickly in the fight.
    • He said the submission happened extremely fast, estimating a finish in about 52 seconds and noting he realized immediately when the opponent went limp.
  • Career mindset: He framed his drive as wanting world championship status and said he’s willing to fight anyone next.
  • World Cup question: Paddy said he watched part of the World Cup and stayed focused on motivation from home.
  • Main event injury impact: He said early moments of a fight can’t be predicted, and that it’s difficult for someone returning after such a long time.
  • Fan perception and critics: He suggested narratives will shift as long as he keeps winning (“goalposts will get moved”), while he stays focused on getting paid and taking title steps.
  • Charity and community:
    • Paddy discussed supporting Westside Striking (nonprofit) and the Waianae Boys and Girls Club.
    • He noted they supported him in his youth and said fighters helping communities matters.
  • Legacy themes:
    • Paddy referenced Liverpool and Romero/anniversary homage moments.
    • He emphasized gratitude, perseverance, and the desire to be remembered for more than just results.

Max Holloway (Main-Event-Side Discussion)

  • Emotional tone: Max described the main event as emotionally complicated, saying he hoped Conor was okay.
  • Referee/stop calls: Max said Conor’s demeanor changed, and he called the referee earlier to stop unnecessary damage, but the fight continued after Conor repeatedly reacted to the calls.
  • Pre-existing injury possibility: He argued everyone comes injured at some level and framed Conor as a warrior—suggesting it can be part of the fight game.
  • Trilogy promotion: Max said a trilogy would be easy to sell because fan interest and viewership were huge even after a long layoff, and that an injury explanation would be understandable.
  • Future plans and charity:
    • Holloway discussed charity work via a golf tournament for the Holloway Foundation, naming local beneficiaries (including a gym and youth club).
    • He also discussed walkout music and a Hawaiian-themed presentation, emphasizing legacy and community pride.

Presenters / Sources Mentioned

  • Dana White (UFC President)
  • Marlon (fighter; post-fight remarks)
  • Paddy Pimblett (fighter; post-fight remarks)
  • Max Holloway (fighter; main-event-side discussion)
  • Cory Sandhagen (rematch and injury discussion)
  • Merab Dvalishvili (called out in title-fight path question)
  • Petr Yan (mentioned in trilogy/booking speculation)
  • Jose Aldo (mentioned in title opportunity question)
  • PatrĂ­cio / “Patri” (mentioned in title opportunity question)
  • Umar (referenced regarding fan support change)
  • Royval and Cavana (Fight of the Night referenced)
  • Bobby Green and Paddy Pimblett (performance awards referenced)
  • Conor McGregor (main-event injury and future talk)

Additional figures referenced across Q&A include: Merab / Petr Yan / Saint-Denis / Dustin Poirier / Gable Steveson / Elijah Allison / Jon Jones / Sean Strickland / Khamzat Chimaev / Nassourdine Imavov / Robert Whittaker / Cody Garbrandt.

Also mentioned:

  • Sophie Cunningham (ring card girl question)
  • Eddie Hearn / Nick Khan / Turki Alalshikh / Ian Garry / Matchroom / Mayor of London (Sadiq Khan) (business/scheduling questions)
  • Herb Dean (asked about booing/commission issue)

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