According to Ariel Helwani, the UFC's current plan includes Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway as the main event of UFC 329 on July 11 and Islam Makhachev vs. Ian Garry as the main event of UFC 330 on August 15. These represent the promotion's targeted headliners for two major upcoming events. The McGregor-Holloway fight would be a high-profile rematch from their 2013 encounter. The Makhachev-Garry bout would be a lightweight title defense for the champion against a rising contender.
According to a report from journalist Ariel Helwani, the UFC is targeting two marquee main events for the summer of 2026: Conor McGregor versus Max Holloway headlining UFC 329 on July 11, and Islam Makhachev versus Ian Garry topping UFC 330 on August 15. None of these bouts have been officially confirmed, and the plans should be treated as the promotion's current targets rather than finalized bookings.
McGregor, 37, carries a 22-6-0 record and returns to the promotion as one of combat sports' most recognizable figures. The Irishman out of SBG Ireland stands five-foot-nine with a 74-inch reach and fights from a southpaw stance. A rematch with Holloway would revisit a fight first contested back in 2013.
Holloway, 34, has built one of the sport's most decorated careers and currently sits fourth in the lightweight rankings and ninth on the pound-for-pound list, holding a 27-9-0 record. The Hawaiian fights out of Gracie Technics and is among the most prolific strikers in the promotion, averaging 7.2 significant strikes landed per minute at 48 percent accuracy.
Makhachev enters as the reigning champion, listed here under the welterweight division in the database, and owns a 28-1-0 record with a pound-for-pound ranking of first. The 34-year-old Russian trains with Eagles MMA and is a devastating grappler, averaging 3.2 takedowns and 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes, while also posting a striking accuracy of 58 percent.
Ian Garry's verified data was not available in the current database, so details on the Irish welterweight contender are omitted here.
Why it matters
- McGregor-Holloway would be a high-profile rematch more than a decade in the making, with significant pay-per-view implications
- A Makhachev title defense against a rising contender would further define the lightweight championship picture
- Both events, if finalized, would represent major summer cards for the UFC calendar
