According to Ariel Helwani, the UFC's current plan features Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway as the main event of UFC 329 on July 11. Additionally, Islam Makhachev is scheduled to defend his lightweight title against Ian Garry in the main event of UFC 330 on August 15. These represent two major proposed matchups for the summer schedule. McGregor and Holloway previously met in 2013, while Makhachev-Garry would be a first-time pairing between the champion and the rising welterweight contender. Neither fight has been officially confirmed by the UFC.
According to a report from Ariel Helwani, the UFC is eyeing two marquee summer matchups: Conor McGregor versus Max Holloway as the headliner of UFC 329 on July 11, and Islam Makhachev defending his lightweight title against Ian Garry at UFC 330 on August 15. Neither bout has received official confirmation from the promotion.
McGregor, 37, returns to the conversation after a lengthy absence from competition. The Irishman out of SBG Ireland carries a 22-6-0 record and brings a notable physical edge in this potential matchup, standing five-foot-nine with a 74-inch reach. "The Notorious" has historically generated 5.32 significant strikes landed per minute with 49 percent striking accuracy. He and Holloway met once before, back in 2013, making this a long-awaited rematch if it comes to fruition.
Holloway, ranked fourth in the lightweight division and ninth in the pound-for-pound standings, has evolved considerably since that first encounter. The 34-year-old Hawaiian trains out of Gracie Technics and holds a 27-9-0 record. Standing five-foot-eleven with a 69-inch reach, "Blessed" is one of the sport's most prolific volume strikers, averaging 7.2 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy.
Makhachev enters as the undefeated lightweight champion and the top-ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the world, sitting at 28-1-0. The 34-year-old Russian out of Eagles MMA operates as a southpaw and is defined by his suffocating grappling, averaging 3.2 takedowns and 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes. His 58 percent striking accuracy further underscores a well-rounded game. He would face Ian Garry, a welterweight moving up for a first-time meeting with the champion.
Why it matters
- A McGregor-Holloway rematch would be one of the most anticipated returns in recent UFC history, rekindling a rivalry more than a decade old
- Makhachev defending against a welterweight challenger in Garry introduces an unconventional cross-divisional dynamic to the lightweight title picture
- Both cards could carry significant pound-for-pound and divisional ranking implications across lightweight and welterweight
