McGregor vs. Holloway 2: Can Conor Shock the World Again?
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Conor McGregor will make a comeback to the Octagon against old rival Max Holloway on July 11 at UFC 329 in Las Vegas.
The welterweight match will take place at T-Mobile Arena. It will be McGregor’s first bout in 5 years, after suffering a career-changing injury in 2021 in his trilogy fall to Dustin Poirier. Following that, there have been questions about his return, with many analysts and fans wondering if he will ever step back into the cage.
The much-anticipated fight in the MMA leader’s annual International Fight Week card will also be his first after being found civilly accountable for assaulting Nikita Hand at a hotel in Dublin in late 2018.
Thin and Old History
The bout between the former two-division champion and the future Hall of Famer, Max “Blessed” Holloway, is a rematch. They first clashed at UFC Fight Night 26 in Boston in 2013, where Conor won via unanimous decision.
In the featherweight undercard bout, the Irishman dominated the judges’ scorecards despite suffering an ACL injury. Holloway has since upped his game, going on to win the featherweight and BMF straps. This is perhaps why a matchup few people talked about in 2013 is now one of the most eagerly awaited pairings on the UFC calendar.
Holloway Says He is Prepared
At 34 and having been active recently at the top level in the lightweight division, Holloway is a formidable threat to McGregor. The Hawaiian has a 5-3 record and captured the BMF title by knocking out Justin Gaethje at UFC 300.
Also, despite losing to Ilia Topuria in a featherweight championship clash, he etched his name in history by stepping up to the lightweight category permanently. He also successfully defended his title against “ The Diamond,” Dustin Poirier, at UFC 318. However, he lost his BMF strap at UFC 326 in early 2026, when he fell to Charles Oliveira.
While the clash will be his first in the welterweight division, he is a former belt holder and one of the greatest talents in the featherweight division. He enters the fight with durability, patience, and volume that made him a nightmare for many for years.
In a recent interview with MMA junkie, Holloway said he is ready for the fight. He also hopes McGregor will not withdraw from the fight as he did in UFC 303. The 37-year-old was set to make a comeback in 2024 against Michael Chandler but pulled out at the last minute after sustaining a broken toe.
Holloway Urges McGregor to Show Up
“I’m getting ready for a dangerous Conor McGregor. I think it’s going to be a healthy Conor McGregor. It’s going to be the best version we ever saw, and that’s the thing that excites me,” Holloway told MMA Junkie. “I just need him to come and show up on July 11, and get in that Octagon. Then we can find out if he’s right or wrong.”
Also, while weighing in on the fight with Red Corner MMA, Max cracked:
“Mystic Max has arrived. He has taken my ‘it is what it is.’ So I am taking Mystic Max… We drown him. We’ll give him an old Hawaii-style beating and drown him. We take him to deep waters.”
McGregor Warns Holloway
On the contrary, McGregor’s momentum has been halted by inactivity and injuries, calling into question his status and reputation as a viable threat in the high-profile fight.
At 37, with a 5-year octagon hiatus and a surgically repaired leg, he has a lot to prove to the world. He has a 1-3 record, and the last time he won a match was back in 2020 when he got the better of Donald Cerrone. However, he is confident of prevailing over Max Holloway.
“I sonned Max when I fought him last. I plan on doing the same again in the most devastating fashion.” McGregor said in an interview with Paramount’s Nate Burleson. “It’s going to be a demolition.”
He added: “He’s got the most time spent in the Octagon, which is eight and a half hours. For me, I look at that and say, ‘That means you can’t finish people.’”
In another interview with The Mac Life, the Notorious said: “I fought against Max many years ago, and I look forward to my improvements on it. Danger will be everywhere inside the Octagon for Max… I’ll be out with my paintbrush, you know, ready to put on my masterpiece.”
We have not seen the Notorious in years, but he has always been good at surprising opponents with new techniques and ideas. It took him only 40 seconds to break Donald Cerrone’s nose with shoulder strikes.
But UFC 329 will answer one of the biggest questions in MMA: Does Conor McGregor still have one more championship run left in him, or will Max Holloway finally get his revenge 13 years in the making?
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