Islam Makhachev has commented on Conor McGregor's return to the UFC and offered his prediction on the outcome of a McGregor versus Max Holloway contest.
Islam Makhachev has shared his thoughts on Conor McGregor's anticipated return to the UFC, including a prediction on how a potential matchup between McGregor and Max Holloway would play out.
Makhachev, 34, is currently the welterweight champion and sits atop the pound-for-pound rankings with a record of 28-1. The Russian southpaw, who trains out of Eagles MMA, has built his dominance on elite grappling, averaging 3.2 takedowns and 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes. His striking accuracy of 58 percent also stands among the best in the sport.
McGregor, 37, holds a career record of 22-6 and has not competed in some time, making his return one of the most talked-about storylines in MMA. Fighting out of SBG Ireland, the Irish southpaw carries a 74-inch reach — notably long for his five-foot-nine frame — and has averaged 5.32 significant strikes landed per minute throughout his career, with 49 percent accuracy.
Holloway enters the conversation as the number-four ranked lightweight and sits ninth in the pound-for-pound standings. The 34-year-old Hawaiian, now competing at lightweight, owns a 27-9 record and has long been regarded as one of the sport's elite volume strikers, landing 7.2 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy. He trains out of Gracie Technics and stands five-foot-eleven with a 69-inch reach.
Why it matters
- Makhachev's comments add high-profile attention to McGregor's return timeline and potential opponent selection
- A McGregor versus Holloway fight would pit two of the sport's most recognized names against each other at or near lightweight
- Holloway's ranking at number four in the division means any high-profile opponent he faces carries significant divisional weight
- McGregor's long absence makes assessments of where he fits in the current landscape a genuinely open question
