McGregor vs Holloway on final stretch for July 11, says Ariel Helwani

According to MMA journalist Ariel Helwani, a rematch between Conor McGregor and Max Holloway is on the "final stretch" toward an official booking on July 11, though the fight has not yet been formally confirmed.

McGregor, 37, carries a 22-6 record and has not competed since suffering a leg injury against Dustin Poirier in July 2021. Fighting out of SBG Ireland, the southpaw Irishman stands five-foot-nine with an unusually long 74-inch reach. He posts a striking accuracy of 49 percent and lands 5.32 significant strikes per minute, making him one of the most recognizable knockout threats the sport has produced.

Holloway enters the potential matchup ranked fourth in the lightweight division and ninth in the pound-for-pound standings. The 34-year-old Hawaiian, known as "Blessed," holds a 27-9 record and fights out of Gracie Technics. Standing 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 across his career.

Why it matters

• McGregor has been sidelined for nearly five years, making any return a major commercial event for the UFC
• A win or loss would directly affect Holloway's position at fourth in the lightweight rankings and his standing in the pound-for-pound top ten
• McGregor's 74-inch reach advantage over Holloway's 69 inches creates an interesting range dynamic between two primarily striking-based fighters
• Helwani describes the situation as close to 100 percent complete, but cautions that something serious could still derail the booking before a formal announcement