According to Ariel Helwani, the UFC's current plan is to book Conor McGregor versus Max Holloway as the main event of UFC 329 on July 11. Additionally, the promotion is targeting Islam Makhachev versus Ian Garry for the main event of UFC 330 on August 15. The McGregor-Holloway bout would be a rematch of their 2013 featherweight encounter, while Makhachev-Garry would see the lightweight champion defend his title against the rising Irish welterweight. Both fights represent marquee matchups that could headline major pay-per-view cards. These bookings are still in development and have not been formally announced by the UFC.
According to a report from Ariel Helwani, the UFC is targeting two major pay-per-view main events for the summer of 2026: Conor McGregor versus Max Holloway at UFC 329 on July 11, and Islam Makhachev versus Ian Garry at UFC 330 on August 15. Neither booking has been formally announced by the promotion, and both remain unconfirmed at this stage.
McGregor, 37, carries a 22-6-0 record and returns to the promotion under the banner of SBG Ireland. The Irishman stands five-foot-nine with a notably long 74-inch reach and fights out of a southpaw stance. He lands 5.32 significant strikes per minute at 49 percent accuracy. A proposed meeting with Holloway would serve as a rematch of their 2013 featherweight contest. Holloway, now 34 and competing at lightweight, has built one of the sport's most impressive records at 27-9-0. Ranked fourth in the lightweight division and ninth pound-for-pound, the Hawaiian averages a remarkable 7.2 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy, making him one of the highest-volume strikers in UFC history.
Makhachev enters as the reigning champion, listed here in the welterweight division, carrying a 28-1-0 record and the number-one pound-for-pound ranking. The 34-year-old Russian from Eagles MMA is a dominant grappler, averaging 3.2 takedowns and 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes, while also posting a 58 percent striking accuracy. His reported opponent, Ian Garry, does not appear in the current verified fighter data, but the matchup would represent a cross-divisional title challenge from the rising Irish welterweight contender.
Why it matters
- A McGregor-Holloway rematch reunites two of the sport's biggest names more than a decade after their first meeting
- Holloway's elite striking volume sets up a compelling stylistic contrast with McGregor's power-based southpaw attack
- Makhachev defending against a welterweight challenger would be an unconventional and high-profile title defense
- Both cards carry significant pay-per-view and global commercial weight, particularly given the Irish star power involved
