MMA journalist Ariel Helwani has reported that the UFC is actively working on a fight between Conor McGregor and Max Holloway for July 11. This would mark a high-profile return for McGregor and a rematch with Holloway years after their first encounter. The bout is being developed as part of the UFC's upcoming schedule. Details on which event number this would be attached to have not been fully clarified in this report, though other sources suggest UFC 329 on that same date. No official confirmation from the UFC has been given yet, but Helwani is a credible source for advance matchmaking news.
According to MMA journalist Ariel Helwani, the UFC is actively working to book a rematch between Conor McGregor and Max Holloway for July 11, potentially as part of UFC 329. No official confirmation from the promotion has been issued, and the bout should be treated as unconfirmed at this stage.
McGregor, 37, carries a 22-6-0 record and returns to the sport as one of its most recognizable figures. The Irishman out of SBG Ireland is a southpaw standing five-foot-nine with a notably long 74-inch reach. He lands 5.32 significant strikes per minute at 49 percent accuracy, and the return of "The Notorious" would represent one of the most-watched comebacks in the sport's recent history.
His prospective opponent, Max Holloway, enters as a ranked contender in a position to make a major statement. "Blessed" sits fourth in the lightweight division and ninth in the pound-for-pound rankings, carrying a 27-9-0 record at 34 years old. The Hawaiian out of Gracie Technics stands five-foot-eleven with a 69-inch reach and is one of the sport's most prolific volume strikers, landing 7.2 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy.
Why it matters
- McGregor's return, if confirmed, would be among the highest-profile fights the UFC could schedule for mid-2026
- Holloway's top-five lightweight ranking means a win carries genuine divisional weight, not just marquee value
- The stylistic matchup pits Holloway's extraordinary output and durability against McGregor's southpaw power and that two-inch reach advantage
- A rematch dynamic adds historical stakes, giving both fighters added motivation beyond rankings alone
