Question marks hang over McGregor's UFC return

When Conor McGregor steps into the octagon to face Max Holloway after a five-year absence on Sunday, it will be a bittersweet moment for many fans.

On one hand it is the return of the biggest star in mixed martial arts history, with McGregor central to the sport's rise in popularity.

The Irishman was the UFC's first simultaneous two-weight world champion, while his brash and witty personality captivated fans like no MMA fighter before him.

But for all McGregor's achievements within the sport, his career has been dogged by controversy.

From court cases, where McGregor lost a civil jury appeal against a finding at the High Court in Dublin that he had sexually assaulted a woman in a Dublin hotel, to a failed presidential run and missed drugs tests, a number of incidents have cast large question marks over his legacy.

Now 37, his fight against Holloway at UFC 329 in Las Vegas will complete his return from a career-threatening leg break.

The bout is headlining the UFC's flagship International Fight Week card, illustrating how much Dana White's promotion values McGregor, but critics have questioned whether he still deserves the spotlight.

McGregor has not fought since breaking his leg in defeat by Dustin Poirier in 2021, but he has featured in the headlines since.

-BBC