Holloway wants McGregor trilogy, willing to wait until 2027

Max Holloway emerged from UFC 329 on July 11 with a TKO victory and a clear agenda: a third fight with Conor McGregor, and he is willing to let it sit on the shelf until 2027 if that is what it takes.

Holloway, now 28-9-0, competes at lightweight and enters this callout ranked fourth in the division and ninth on the pound-for-pound list. The 34-year-old Hawaiian, who trains out of Gracie Technics, is one of the sport's most relentless volume strikers, averaging 6.92 significant strikes landed per minute at 48 percent accuracy. His latest finish only adds to a resume that has long made him one of the hardest men to keep off an opponent.

McGregor, 37, carries a 22-7-0 record and remains one of MMA's most recognizable names despite his extended absence from competition. The Dubliner stands five-foot-nine with a 74-inch reach and has historically brought sharp, powerful striking to the cage, landing 5.27 significant strikes per minute at 49 percent accuracy across his career. He fights out of SBG Ireland as a southpaw, a style contrast that would make a meeting with the orthodox Holloway a technically intriguing matchup.

The two men have met twice before, with their featherweight bouts forming part of MMA's most storied rivalries from that era. Holloway's willingness to pencil in a 2027 date signals confidence that the fight holds enough commercial and personal value to be worth a long wait.

Why it matters

• A trilogy carries significant nostalgic and commercial weight, revisiting one of featherweight's defining rivalries
• Holloway's top-five lightweight ranking means divisional stakes are real, not just exhibition-level interest
• The southpaw-versus-orthodox dynamic and contrasting pressure styles set up a genuine stylistic puzzle
• McGregor's timeline and competitive status remain the central variable determining whether this fight becomes a reality