Levi Rothermund
Conor McGregor’s long-awaited return means a different streaming reality this time, and it changes how much you’ll actually pay to watch him fight.
Conor McGregor returns to the Octagon against Max Holloway on Saturday, July 11, 2026, and for the first time in years, watching him do it in the US won’t cost you a separate pay-per-view fee. UFC 329 streams live on Paramount+, and the way this card is structured has shifted the entire conversation around “how to watch it for free.” Here’s everything you need — the plan to get, the price, the start time in your region, and where the real risk lies if you go looking for a shortcut.
Why This Fight Marks a New Era for Watching UFC
McGregor and Holloway first met back at UFC 178 in 2013, when McGregor stopped him inside two rounds on his way up the featherweight ranks. More than a decade later, this rematch headlines UFC 329 at a moment when the promotion has completely overhauled how American fans access its numbered events. Gone is the old model of stacking a monthly subscription on top of a $70-plus PPV charge. UFC cards now sit inside Paramount+, which means the McGregor-Holloway rematch is included with a standard subscription rather than sold separately.
Is There a Free Stream of UFC 329?
There’s no official free stream of the UFC 329 main card, and Paramount+ pulled its standard free trial in early 2026. That doesn’t mean every path in costs full price, though. A couple of legitimate routes are worth checking before you pay for anything new:
- Bundled access — Paramount+ comes free with select third-party subscriptions, including Walmart+. If you already pay for one of these, you may already have the fight covered without spending another dollar.
- Promotional pricing — Paramount+ runs periodic offers through mobile carriers, retailers, and annual-plan discounts. A quick search in the days before the fight can turn up a genuine deal.
What isn’t a legitimate route: sites promising a “free UFC 329 live stream.” These are almost always unlicensed, packed with malware and forced pop-ups, and have a well-earned reputation for cutting out right as the main event walkouts begin. For a fight this anticipated, that’s not a risk worth taking to save nine dollars.
What You Actually Need: Essential or Premium?
Either Paramount+ Essential or Paramount+ Premium gets you the full UFC 329 card — early prelims, prelims, and main card included. UFC events aren’t gated behind the higher tier, so there’s no need to upgrade just to see McGregor walk out.
The difference between the two plans is everything around the fight rather than the fight itself:
| Feature | Essential | Premium |
|---|---|---|
| UFC 329 full card | Included | Included |
| Ads | Yes | Mostly ad-free |
| Streaming quality | Up to 1080p | 4K on supported titles |
| Local live CBS | No | Yes |
| SHOWTIME library | No | Yes |
| Offline downloads | No | Yes |
If your only goal is watching McGregor vs. Holloway 2 live, Essential covers it completely.
How Much Does It Cost?
As of early 2026, Paramount+ Essential runs about $8.99 per month, and Paramount+ Premium sits around $13.99 per month. Both offer annual billing at a lower effective monthly rate. Pricing can shift, so it’s worth confirming the current figure before you sign up.
Whichever tier you pick, this is the cheapest a major McGregor fight has ever been to watch legally in the US — a single month of Essential replaces what used to be a subscription plus a standalone PPV charge.
Traveling for the Fight? Try a VPN
If you’re outside the US when UFC 329 airs but already hold a Paramount+ subscription back home, a VPN can reconnect you to it by routing your connection through a server in your home country. This only works if you already legally hold the subscription — a VPN doesn’t grant new access, it just removes the geographic block.
Our recommended option is NordVPN, which covers 9,500+ servers across 224 locations and lets you protect up to 10 devices on a single account. There’s currently a deal running at 76% off plus 3 extra months, bringing it down to about $3.09/month, backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
A couple of things worth knowing before fight night:
- Some streaming services actively detect and block VPN traffic, so results can vary.
- Performance depends on the VPN’s server load and your own connection speed.
- Always sign into your existing Paramount+ account through the VPN — this method doesn’t work without a subscription already in place.
What Time Does UFC 329 Start?
The broadcast is built around US prime time, with three distinct segments:
- Early prelims: 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT
- Prelims: 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT
- Main card: 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT
Where to Watch UFC 329 Around the World
Coverage outside the US runs through a mix of regional broadcasters and dedicated UFC partners. Here’s the breakdown by market:
| Region | Main Card Time | Broadcast |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom & Ireland | 2am GMT (Sun) | TNT Sports Box Office |
| Canada | 9pm ET / 6pm PT | PPV |
| Australia | 11am AEST (Sun) | Main Event on Foxtel, Kayo Sports |
| New Zealand | 1pm NZT (Sun) | SKY Arena, Sky Sports Now |
| Germany / Austria | 3am CET (Sun) | DAZN |
| France | 3am CET (Sun) | RMC Sport |
| Italy / Spain / Netherlands | 3am CET (Sun) | HBO Max |
| Poland | 3am CET (Sun) | Polsat Sport |
| Denmark / Norway / Sweden | 3am CET (Sun) | Viaplay |
| Iceland | 2am GMT (Sun) | Viaplay |
| Balkans | 3am CET (Sun) | ARENA FIGHT TV |
| Finland | 4am EET (Sun) | Viaplay |
| Africa | 3am WAT / 4am SAST (Sun) | SuperSport Action |
| MENA | 6am GST (Sun) | STARZPLAY |
| CIS region | 2am BST (Sun) | Setanta Sports |
| LATAM & Mexico | 8pm CST | Paramount+ (Spanish) |
| Brazil | 11am BRT | Paramount+ (Portuguese) |
| Japan | 11am JST | U-Next, UFC Fight Pass |
| India | 7:30am IST (Sun) | Sony TEN 2 |
| South Korea | 11am KST | TVN, TVN Sports, TVING |
| Indonesia | 9am WIB (Sun) | VIDIO |
| Rest of World | — | UFC Fight Pass |
Notably, Canada remains on a traditional PPV model even as the US has moved away from one, and several major European markets — Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands — now run the card through HBO Max rather than a dedicated sports channel.
Quick Checklist Before Fight Night
- US viewers: sign up for Paramount+ Essential — it’s all you need for the full card.
- Already have Walmart+ or a similar bundle? Check if Paramount+ is already included before paying again.
- Traveling for the fight? Connect to a server in your home country via NordVPN and sign into your existing Paramount+ account as normal.
- Avoid “free stream” sites. The malware and mid-fight dropouts aren’t worth the savings.
FAQ
Is UFC 329 a pay-per-view in the US?
No. UFC numbered events, including UFC 329, are now included with a standard Paramount+ subscription in the US, with no additional fee to unlock the main card.
Do I need Paramount+ Premium to watch McGregor vs. Holloway 2?
No. Both Essential and Premium include the full card. Premium adds extras like 4K and an ad-light experience, but it doesn’t unlock any additional fight content.
Is there a legal way to watch UFC 329 for free?
The most realistic legal routes are existing bundles (such as Walmart+) that already include Paramount+, or promotional offers running around the event. There’s no standalone free trial currently available.
What time is the main card in the UK?
The UFC 329 main card airs at 2am GMT on Sunday in the UK and Ireland via TNT Sports Box Office.
Whatever the outcome, McGregor vs. Holloway 2 closes a chapter more than a decade in the making, and the way fans are watching it says almost as much about where the sport is heading as the fight itself. If you want to gauge just how much anticipation this card has generated, you can rate your hype for every fight on the night over at Good Fights — and for odds and predictions heading into fight night, Tips.gg has you covered.