Max Holloway heads into UFC 329 this weekend in one of many stranger matchups of his profession: a rematch with Conor McGregor, set for welterweight on July 11 in Las Vegas, regardless that Holloway has by no means fought at 170 kilos within the UFC whereas McGregor has earlier expertise there. Two former featherweight champions are assembly once more greater than a decade after their first struggle, however this time the burden class is a part of the story.
Max Holloway Faces Conor McGregor at Welterweight
Max Holloway doesn’t sound bothered by that leap. Talking with Stake about how the struggle got here collectively, he stated:
“I used to be on trip, bro, you realize? Like, proper after my final struggle, me and my spouse, we love taking a visit after fights. And I used to be on trip in Japan, they usually form of floated the concept to us, however, truly, earlier than the holiday, truly, earlier than I used to be occurring my journey, they form of floated the concept to us that, like, hey, you would possibly struggle Conor McGregor. And I used to be like, holy shit, okay!
“You understand, however the catch is, it’s at 170. I’m like, I don’t care if it’s at heavyweight, you realize what I imply? Like, a Conor McGregor struggle is an enormous struggle, so signal me up. After which, once I truly was on the holiday, that’s after they truly despatched the contract, and we discovered that it was Worldwide Battle Week, so it was superb, man. You understand, we knew for fairly a while, however nothing’s actually signed till you hear the opposite aspect being signed. So, we needed to wait slightly—watch for a minute on that, they usually figured it out, and now we’re right here, you realize? Days away, and I’m excited.”
It is a big-name struggle, a return bout with one of many sport’s largest attracts, and Holloway made clear that the quantity on the dimensions was not going to be the explanation he handed on it. It’s formally the primary occasion as a five-round welterweight struggle at T-Cellular Area on July 11, making it McGregor’s first UFC look since his 2021 loss to Dustin Poirier and Holloway’s first transfer to welterweight.
McGregor beat Holloway by unanimous determination in August 2013, again when each had been rising at featherweight, and that struggle now will get a sequel 13 years afterward one of many firm’s largest weeks of the 12 months. Since then, McGregor went on to win the UFC featherweight title and later the UFC light-weight title, changing into the primary fighter in firm historical past to carry two UFC belts on the similar time. He has additionally competed above light-weight earlier than, together with welterweight fights in opposition to Nate Diaz twice and Donald Cerrone as soon as, so the burden is uncommon for Holloway way more than it’s for McGregor.
The UFC Is aware of They Can Depend on Max Holloway
That’s what makes the matchup stand out. Holloway is a former featherweight champion who has already proven he can take significant fights outdoors his previous division, together with his transfer again to light-weight for the BMF title bout in opposition to Justin Gaethje at UFC 300. He received that struggle with a last-second knockout at 4:59 of the fifth spherical, one of many signature finishes of his profession, and added one other main second to a run of high-profile assignments from the promotion.
Holloway pointed to that sample himself when he spoke concerning the belief the UFC has proven him. He stated:
“You understand, it’s all the time cool. It’s all the time feeling figuring out that the UFC can belief you with these varieties of huge fights. You understand, and I used to be put in these massive fights for fairly a while, you realize? UFC 300, and the BMF title struggle, for the retirement for, going to a brand new metropolis in Louisiana with Dustin. After which one other BMF title struggle, and now we’re right here. So, on the finish of the day, it’s nice to know that I’m certainly one of UFC’s guys, and that they know that I can usher in a crowd. It’s all the time good, it’s all the time an incredible feeling that you realize the corporate behind you is standing behind you 100%.”
Holloway challenged Justin Gaethje for the BMF belt at UFC 300 in April 2024 and received it, then later defended that title in opposition to Dustin Poirier in Poirier’s retirement struggle at UFC 318 in July 2025. So when Holloway says the UFC retains turning to him for main spots, he’s describing a current sample moderately than promoting a line.
UFC 329 is scheduled for Saturday, July 11, at T-Cellular Area in Las Vegas as a part of Worldwide Battle Week, with McGregor vs. Holloway 2 set as the primary occasion at welterweight.
