Less than a month remains before UFC’s prodigal son makes his comeback. On July 11, fans will crowd into the T-Mobile Arena to witness Conor McGregor’s return to fighting. Thirteen years after outpointing him, McGregor will once again face old rival Max Holloway at UFC 329.

To match the anticipation that has been building for one of the UFC’s most awaited returns, the promotion has lined up a high-octane card, with each bout promising action for viewers. Yet despite the excitement, the lead-up to Conor McGregor‘s comeback event has undergone a notable change. One of the fighters affected by that adjustment happens to be a close protégé of Jon Jones. In a major development, the former UFC heavyweight champion’s mentee has been moved from the main card to the preliminary portion of the event after the bout order was first announced a month ago.

“We have a new bout order for #UFC329. King Green vs. Terrance McKinney now opens up the main card!” wrote veteran MMA writer Adam Martin. “Gable Steveson vs. Elisha Ellison moved to the prelims.”

The likely reason for Gable Stevenson‘s move to the preliminary segment could be that the fight against Ellison marks his UFC debut. Stevenson is a 2020 Tokyo Olympic gold medalist and a multiple-time international gold medalist. Since then, he has compiled a 3-0 professional MMA record, along with a win at Dirty Boxing this past October. He made his RAF debut on May 30, where he defeated Alexander Romanov.

Those credentials have made Stevenson one of the most closely watched heavyweight prospects outside the UFC rankings. They have also drawn the attention of Jon Jones, who has publicly backed Stevenson’s long-term potential. Jones has previously said that Stevenson possesses the tools to become a heavyweight champion one day.

Yet for all those credentials, Stevenson remains a raw prospect as far as the UFC is concerned.

In such situations, the promotion generally follows its usual matchmaking approach, placing debutants and rising prospects in the early slots of a card against opponents with comparable experience and skills. In Stevenson’s case, he has been matched against Ellison, who owns a moderate amateur record and a 5-2 mark in mixed martial arts. Inside the UFC, that translates to 0-1, given that he lost his debut match to Brando Peričić this past September.

That same thinking also helps explain why Stevenson’s placement on the originally announced main card stood out in the first place.

When the UFC first unveiled the line-up mid-May, McGregor vs. Holloway topped the bill, followed by Benoit Saint-Denis vs. Paddy Pimblett. The main card also featured Cory Sandhagen vs. Mario Bautista, Brandon Royval vs. Lone’er Kavanagh, and Gable Stevenson vs. Elisha Ellison.

That’s a loaded card featuring ranked contenders known for both their skill sets and finishing ability. While Stevenson may be a recognizable name in wrestling circles, placing him in that segment would not have added much from a UFC standpoint.

Instead, he may prove more valuable in drawing interest to the preliminary portion of UFC 329 and encouraging more viewers to tune in before the pay-per-view begins.

With that in mind, it became logical for the UFC to add another action-oriented matchup to the card.

King Green and Terrance McKinney bolster Conor McGregor’s UFC 329 lineup

It was around June 4 when the reports emerged that lightweight veterans King Green and Terrance McKinney would open the main card of McGregor-Holloway II.

A UFC veteran who made his promotional debut in 2013, Green, 39, has put together a strong rebound since his first-round knockout loss to Mauricio Ruffy in March of last year. After earning a decision over Lance Gibson Jr. this past December, he followed it up with consecutive stoppage wins over Daniel Zellhuber (TKO) and Jeremy Stephens (rear-naked choke). The fight on July 11 will mark his 31st UFC appearance and this year of 2026.

A UFC veteran himself, McKinney complements Green’s experience with a perfect finish rate. Across 26 professional MMA bouts (13 in the UFC), his 18 victories are split evenly between nine knockouts and nine submissions. Even in defeat, the 31-year-old Spokane, Washington native has never allowed any of his fights to go the distance, keeping the judges out of the equation.

Given those credentials, many view the Green vs. McKinney as a matchup built for action. The UFC needed a strong lineup to maximize interest in the main card, and the clash between two finish-oriented fighters fits naturally on the primary broadcast.

At the time of this writing, no other changes have been reported as McGregor-Holloway enters its final month before UFC 329 on July 11.