Ariel Helwani reports that the UFC's current plan includes two major main events. UFC 329 on July 11th would feature Conor McGregor versus Max Holloway in the headline bout. UFC 330 on August 15th would see lightweight champion Islam Makhachev defend his title against welterweight contender Ian Garry. The Makhachev-Garry matchup would likely involve Garry moving up in weight to challenge for the lightweight championship. These plans have not been officially confirmed by the UFC and represent current internal discussions.
According to a report from Ariel Helwani, the UFC is internally planning two blockbuster main events for the summer of 2026, though neither has been officially confirmed by the promotion.
The first, targeted for July 11 at UFC 329, would pit Conor McGregor against Max Holloway. McGregor, 37, carries a 22-6-0 record and fights out of SBG Ireland as a southpaw with a 74-inch reach — one of the longer frames in the sport's lighter divisions. "The Notorious" averages 5.32 significant strikes per minute at 49 percent accuracy, making him one of the more volume-efficient strikers in his competitive history.
Holloway, 34, enters the reported matchup ranked fourth in the lightweight division and ninth pound-for-pound, holding a 27-9-0 record. The Hawaiian orthodox striker is among the most prolific in UFC history, landing 7.2 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy. He fights out of Gracie Technics and stands five-foot-eleven with a 69-inch reach.
The second reported plan would place lightweight champion Islam Makhachev in a title defense against welterweight contender Ian Garry at UFC 330 on August 15. That bout would require Garry to move up to lightweight to challenge. Makhachev, 34, holds a 28-1-0 record and is currently the top-ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the world according to AgentMMA data. The Russian southpaw, fighting out of Eagles MMA, is a dominant grappler who averages 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes and 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes, pairing that wrestling with 58 percent striking accuracy.
Why it matters
- McGregor-Holloway represents a featherweight-era rematch with significant pay-per-view implications, now contested at or near lightweight
- A Garry title shot would mark a notable cross-divisional challenge against one of the sport's most decorated champions
- Makhachev's grappling profile presents a sharply contrasting style test for a welterweight moving up in weight
- All plans remain unconfirmed and could change before any official announcement
