Ariel Helwani reports that a fight between Conor McGregor and Max Holloway is currently on the final stretch toward being finalized. According to Helwani, something extraordinary would need to happen for this bout to fall through at this stage. The fight is being targeted for July 11, and everything is nearly ready for the bout to be signed, formalized, and officially confirmed. While not yet 100% certain, the plan is very close to completion. Only a serious unexpected event could prevent this matchup from happening. This would be a rematch of their 2013 UFC bout, which McGregor won by unanimous decision.
A rematch more than a decade in the making appears to be on the verge of becoming official. According to reporter Ariel Helwani, Conor McGregor and Max Holloway are in the final stages of negotiating a fight targeted for July 11, with virtually everything in place for the bout to be signed and confirmed. Helwani indicated that only something extraordinary could derail the matchup at this point.
McGregor, 37, carries a 22-6-0 professional record and returns to the lightweight division representing Ireland and SBG Ireland. The southpaw stands five-foot-nine with a notably long 74-inch reach and posts a striking accuracy of 49 percent, landing 5.32 significant strikes per minute across his career. He has not competed since suffering a leg injury in 2021.
Holloway, 34, enters as the number-four ranked lightweight and sits ninth in the pound-for-pound standings with a 27-9-0 record. The Hawaiian orthodox striker out of Gracie Technics is one of the most prolific volume punchers in UFC history, landing 7.2 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy. At five-foot-eleven with a 69-inch reach, he has built his reputation on relentless output over championship rounds.
The two met once before, at a UFC event in 2013, with McGregor earning a unanimous decision victory — a result that adds an extra layer of motivation to Holloway's side of this rematch.
Why it matters
- A McGregor victory could push him back into lightweight title contention after a lengthy absence from competition
- Holloway's top-five divisional ranking means the winner enters the title picture immediately
- The stylistic contrast — McGregor's southpaw precision and reach advantage against Holloway's elite volume and output — sets up a genuinely compelling striking contest
- The 13-year gap between bouts gives the rematch significant narrative weight within the lightweight division
