Max Holloway is actively preparing for a potential fight with Conor McGregor, according to Daniel Cormier. Holloway confirmed he is training specifically for this matchup because it represents both a meaningful opportunity and a chance for redemption. He acknowledged that McGregor defeated him when he was younger and less experienced. Now, as a fully mature fighter, Holloway believes he can avenge that loss and views this potential bout as one that makes sense for both fighters. The original loss to McGregor remains a fight Holloway wants to revisit.
Max Holloway is reportedly preparing for a potential rematch with Conor McGregor, with former UFC champion Daniel Cormier sharing the news that the Hawaiian contender is already training specifically with that matchup in mind.
Holloway, 34, carries a 27-9 record and is currently ranked fourth in the lightweight division, where he also sits ninth in the pound-for-pound standings. Standing five-foot-eleven with a 69-inch reach, the orthodox striker out of Gracie Technics is one of the most prolific volume fighters in the sport, landing 7.2 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy. He has acknowledged openly that McGregor handed him a loss earlier in his career, when he was younger and less seasoned, and views a second meeting as an opportunity to settle unfinished business now that he is a fully developed fighter.
McGregor, 37, holds a 22-6 record and fights out of SBG Ireland as a southpaw. The Irishman stands five-foot-nine with a notably long 74-inch reach, and averages 5.32 significant strikes per minute at 49 percent accuracy. The original bout between these two came long before Holloway reached his prime, and McGregor has not competed in some time, making any potential return a significant event in the lightweight landscape.
Cormier did not announce a confirmed booking, but his report indicates Holloway's camp is treating this as a credible and imminent possibility rather than a distant wish.
Why it matters
- Holloway is ranked fourth at lightweight, meaning a high-profile win could push him toward another title shot
- McGregor's southpaw stance and 74-inch reach present a stylistically distinct challenge compared to most of Holloway's recent opponents
- The personal motivation of avenging an early-career loss adds weight to what would already be a commercially significant rematch
