Charles Oliveira has claimed Conor McGregor’s UFC return fight ‘was supposed to be against me.’Instead, McGregor rematches Max Holloway in the main event of UFC 329 on July 11 for his first fight in more than five years.Oliveira defeated Holloway in the main event of UFC 326 — a fight many thought would decide McGregor’s next opponentGettyBut the Brazilian has suggested McGregor picked a fight against Holloway insteadGettyTalks of McGregor’s UFC comeback have been ongoing for years, but rumours heightened when Dana White‘s promotion signed its new broadcast deal with Paramount+ that began on January 1, 2026.The 37-year-old was then expected to face the winner of Holloway’s BMF title defence against Oliveira at UFC 326 in March.Oliveira, who has been calling to fight McGregor for years, dominated Holloway in their main event clash, but it was the latter who was booked to face McGregor.In the eyes of former UFC lightweight champion Oliveira, that’s because McGregor got to decide for himself who his return opponent would be and opted for Holloway.Oliveira: McGregor should be fighting me!“He actually asked for the fight to be three rounds and he picked the opponent,” Oliveira told Action Network this month.“Because, in reality, everyone knows that fight was supposed to be against me, but he chose the opponent.“That’s part of the game. You’ve got to choose what you think is best for you.”Predicting how McGregor will fare on his return, Oliveira added: “Honestly, I think the first round will tell us a lot.“Max is a guy who’s been going five rounds in his recent fights. He handles five rounds very well. Conor has been inactive for a long time“If he doesn’t get the knockout or put on a very dominant performance in the first round, then the later rounds tend to favour Max Holloway because of his speed and because he won’t need to cut weight.Oliveira said Holloway will thrive in the later rounds against McGregor if the latter doesn’t crack the American earlyGetty“But, as I always say, Conor is one of the guys who made history and helped raise the profile of the sport. The arena is going to be packed. It’s going to be magical.“I think it’s difficult for him to become exactly like the old Conor again. But Conor will always be Conor. He’s a guy who hits hard, moves well and knows how to sell a fight better than anyone.”McGregor ready for all scenariosMcGregor vs Holloway 2 headlines a stacked card at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena in just over two weeks.The pair first met in Boston 13 years ago, when McGregor picked up a unanimous decision win after three rounds.McGregor hasn’t fought since breaking his leg in a trilogy bout with Dustin Poirier in 2021, admitting in a rare interview earlier this month that he hit ‘rock bottom’ after the major injury.However, he has said contingency plans are in place for his fight with Holloway if he suffers any kind of injury during the fight.Holloway is moving up to welterweight for the first time in his career for the bout and has welcomed former champion of the division Jack Della Maddalena to his training camp for preparations.