According to Ariel Helwani, the UFC's current plan includes Conor McGregor vs Max Holloway headlining 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. Both matchups represent high-profile bouts for their respective divisions. McGregor would be returning after a lengthy absence, while Makhachev continues his title reign. These plans have not been officially confirmed by the UFC and remain subject to change.
Per reporter Ariel Helwani, the UFC is reportedly targeting two major summer cards: Conor McGregor versus Max Holloway as the headliner of UFC 329 on July 11, and Islam Makhachev defending the lightweight title against Ian Garry in the main event of UFC 330 on August 15. Neither bout has been officially confirmed by the promotion, and both plans remain subject to change.
McGregor, 37, returns to the fold carrying a 22-6-0 record and one of MMA's most recognizable resumes. The southpaw Irishman out of SBG Ireland stands five-foot-nine with a 74-inch reach and has averaged 5.32 significant strikes per minute over his career at 49 percent accuracy. A return to action would end what the summary describes as a lengthy absence from competition.
Holloway enters the reported matchup ranked fourth in the lightweight division and ninth on the pound-for-pound list. The 34-year-old Hawaiian, now 27-9-0, trains out of Gracie Technics and operates from an orthodox stance at five-foot-eleven with a 69-inch reach. He is one of the sport's most prolific volume strikers, landing 7.2 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy.
Makhachev, meanwhile, is reportedly set to make another title defense on August 15. The 34-year-old Russian champion sits atop the pound-for-pound rankings with a 28-1-0 record and competes out of Eagles MMA. A southpaw standing five-foot-ten with a 70-inch reach, Makhachev blends elite grappling — 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes and 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes — with a 58 percent striking accuracy rate.
Why it matters
- McGregor vs. Holloway carries divisional weight, with Holloway ranked fourth at lightweight and McGregor unranked after his absence.
- A Makhachev title defense against Garry would pit the pound-for-pound No. 1 against an unranked welterweight challenger crossing divisions.
- Both cards remain unconfirmed reports and could shift significantly before any official announcement.
