According to Ariel Helwani, the UFC's current plan includes two major main events. UFC 329 on July 11 is expected to feature Conor McGregor versus Max Holloway in the headliner. UFC 330 on August 15 would be headlined by Islam Makhachev defending his lightweight title against Ian Garry. The Makhachev-Garry matchup would be particularly intriguing as Garry has been competing at welterweight and would need to move down in weight. These fight announcements remain unconfirmed by the UFC at this time.
Unconfirmed reports from Ariel Helwani suggest the UFC has mapped out two marquee main events for the summer of 2026, with Conor McGregor set to face Max Holloway at UFC 329 on July 11 and Islam Makhachev scheduled to defend a title against Ian Garry at UFC 330 on August 15. Neither bout has been officially confirmed by the promotion.
McGregor, 37, carries a 22-6-0 record and returns under the SBG Ireland banner. The Irish southpaw stands five-foot-nine with a 74-inch reach — one of the longer frames at his size — and has averaged 5.32 significant strikes landed per minute over his career, connecting at a 49 percent clip.
Holloway, ranked fourth in the lightweight division and ninth in the pound-for-pound standings, brings a 27-9-0 record into the matchup. The 34-year-old Hawaiian is one of the sport's most prolific volume strikers, landing 7.2 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy. A legitimate threat at 155 pounds, he trains out of Gracie Technics and owns an orthodox stance with a 69-inch reach.
Makhachev is listed in the database as the current champion and sits atop the pound-for-pound rankings at 34 years old with a 28-1-0 record. The Russian southpaw, who trains with Eagles MMA, is a dominant grappler averaging 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes and 1.1 submission attempts in the same window, while also posting a striking accuracy of 58 percent. Notably, the verified data places him in the welterweight division, which adds an unusual layer to the reported matchup.
Ian Garry's data was not available in the verified database.
Why it matters
- McGregor versus Holloway would pit two of the sport's most recognizable names against each other for the first time, with significant pay-per-view weight behind the pairing.
- Makhachev defending against Garry, a welterweight, would require Garry to drop a full division — a significant ask that shapes how the fight is framed competitively.
- Both cards carry divisional and pound-for-pound implications, particularly with the top-ranked Makhachev in action a month after the McGregor-Holloway headliner.
