According to Ariel Helwani, the UFC's current plan includes two major main events. UFC 329 on July 11 is slated to feature Conor McGregor versus Max Holloway in the headliner. Following that, UFC 330 on August 15 would be headlined by Islam Makhachev defending his lightweight title against Ian Garry. These are the promotion's working plans as reported by Helwani, though neither fight has been officially confirmed by the UFC. Both matchups would be significant: McGregor-Holloway as a star-power rematch and Makhachev-Garry as a title defense against a rising contender.
According to reporter Ariel Helwani, the UFC is working toward two blockbuster main events across consecutive summer pay-per-views, though neither matchup has received official confirmation from the promotion.
The first reported plan would place Conor McGregor against Max Holloway at UFC 329 on July 11. McGregor, a 37-year-old southpaw out of SBG Ireland, carries a 22-6-0 professional record and remains one of the sport's biggest draws despite his extended absence from competition. He stands five-foot-nine with a 74-inch reach and has historically produced at 5.32 significant strikes landed per minute with 49 percent accuracy. Holloway, now competing at lightweight, enters as the division's fourth-ranked contender and sits ninth in the pound-for-pound rankings. The 34-year-old Hawaiian holds a 27-9-0 record and is one of MMA's most prolific volume strikers, averaging 7.2 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy. The two previously met at UFC 212 in 2017, making this a potential high-profile rematch.
The second reported card, UFC 330 on August 15, would see lightweight champion Islam Makhachev put his title on the line against Ian Garry. Makhachev, also 34, holds a 28-1-0 record and stands as the promotion's top pound-for-pound fighter. The Russian grappler from Eagles MMA is a relentless force on the mat, averaging 3.2 takedowns and 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes while posting a 58 percent striking accuracy. Garry is not listed among the verified lightweight contenders in the current data, which underscores the eyebrow-raising nature of the reported matchup.
Why it matters
- McGregor-Holloway would reunite two of the sport's most recognizable names from their featherweight era in a lightweight setting
- A Makhachev title defense against Garry would be a significant stylistic and divisional-ranking test for both men
- Neither fight is officially confirmed, meaning the UFC's summer schedule remains subject to change
