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Max Holloway training for Conor McGregor fight, wants rematch

Oscar Nascimento, MMA News Editor at AgentMMABy Oscar Nascimento
Updated AgentMMA.com
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Max Holloway is currently training for a potential fight with Conor McGregor, according to Daniel Cormier. Holloway confirmed he is actively preparing for this matchup because it's the fight he wants most. He explained that beyond the attention it would bring, he believes he can avenge his previous loss to McGregor. Holloway emphasized that when they first fought, he was just a boy and McGregor beat him, but now he's a grown man. He stated this is the fight that makes sense and the one he truly desires.

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Max Holloway is already in the gym preparing for a potential rematch with Conor McGregor, with the 34-year-old Hawaiian making clear this is the fight he wants above all others right now.

Max Holloway
Max Holloway

The news came by way of Daniel Cormier, who revealed Holloway is actively training with that specific matchup in mind. Holloway, now ranked fourth in the lightweight division and ninth pound-for-pound, has been candid about his motivation: he believes he can avenge an early career defeat to McGregor, and has framed the opportunity in deeply personal terms. He acknowledged that when the two first met, he was still a young fighter learning his craft, but insists he is a completely different competitor today. The fight, he argued, is the one that makes the most sense and the one he genuinely desires.

Holloway carries a 27-9 record and has built a reputation as one of the sport's most relentless volume strikers, landing 7.2 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy. Standing five-foot-eleven with a 69-inch reach, he has long been regarded as among the elite in his weight class.

Daniel Cormier
Daniel Cormier

McGregor, 37, holds a 22-6 record and fights out of SBG Ireland. The Irishman is a southpaw with a 74-inch reach — notably longer than Holloway's — and averages 5.32 significant strikes per minute with 49 percent accuracy at a career level.

Conor McGregor
Conor McGregor

Why it matters

  • A Holloway-McGregor rematch would carry significant personal stakes beyond rankings, with Holloway openly seeking to settle an early loss on his record.
  • At ranked fourth in lightweight, Holloway's pursuit of this fight rather than a title shot reflects how much the McGregor matchup means to him personally.
  • The stylistic contrast is sharp: Holloway's elite volume output against McGregor's counter-punching southpaw game and reach advantage sets up a compelling striking chess match.
  • No official confirmation from McGregor's side or the UFC has been reported as of this writing.
Published by AgentMMA

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