Holloway opened a new story before UFC 329: a rematch with McGregor could become a trilogy on a major stadium stage
Max Holloway has further increased interest in UFC 329, the event announced for July 11, 2026, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and headlined by his rematch against Conor McGregor. According to the UFC’s official announcement, it is a welterweight bout and one of the central events of International Fight Week, the annual week during which the organization traditionally brings together fighters, fans, media, and business partners in Las Vegas. The duel comes almost thirteen years after their first meeting, in which McGregor defeated Holloway by unanimous decision on August 17, 2013, in Boston. Holloway now enters the rematch with a clear sporting motive: he wants to overturn the only direct result between the two former champions and return to the center of conversations about the biggest fights in the UFC. McGregor, on the other hand, is competing for the first time since a leg injury and a loss to Dustin Poirier in July 2021, so his performance in Las Vegas is simultaneously a sporting test and a check of his market strength after the longest break of his career.
An allusion to a third match as part of a broader spectacle
Ahead of the fight, Holloway went one step beyond the usual announcement of a rematch and, according to TheScore’s report, said that with a victory over McGregor he would like to open the way toward a third clash between them during 2026. In that statement, he mentioned the possibility of a major stadium stage, specifically Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, which immediately turned the rematch into a story that goes beyond one evening at T-Mobile Arena. Such a scenario has not currently been officially confirmed, and there is no published UFC plan that would guarantee a trilogy, but Holloway’s statement has clear promotional weight. In the UFC, the biggest fights are often shaped through the result, the audience reaction, and commercial potential, and McGregor and Holloway belong to the small circle of fighters whose names can carry a global campaign by themselves. For that reason, the idea of a third match, although for now more a provocation than an agreement, is an important part of the atmosphere being built around UFC 329.
According to the same report, Holloway announced that he wants to beat McGregor in a striking way, further provoke the Irish fighter and UFC CEO Dana White, and thus force the promotion to consider a stadium continuation of the rivalry. Such wording fits well into the logic of modern combat sports, in which results in the cage intertwine with narrative, media pressure, and the fighters’ ability to create demand for the next event. Holloway is not a fighter who built his career on aggressive verbal confrontation in McGregor’s style, but for years he has understood the value of big moments and timely messages. That is precisely why his allusion to a trilogy is not just a passing sentence, but an attempt to set the framework in advance for what could happen if he comes out as the winner on July 11. In that sense, UFC 329 is increasingly being presented as a crossroads, not just as a rematch.
The first meeting remains an important part of the story
The first match between McGregor and Holloway took place at UFC Fight Night: Shogun vs. Sonnen in Boston, at a time when neither of them was yet a champion or the global star he would become in the following years. In an archival post, the UFC states that the fight was held on August 17, 2013, while MMA Fighting and MMA Decisions record McGregor’s victory by unanimous decision after three rounds. The judges’ scorecards, according to MMA Decisions data, were 30-27, 30-27, and 30-26 in McGregor’s favor, confirming that the Irish fighter convincingly controlled most of the duel at the time. For McGregor, it was his second UFC victory and part of his early rise toward the status of the biggest commercial star in the organization’s history. For Holloway, it was a loss that was later often mentioned as one of the important points in his development, especially because after it he built a career that includes the featherweight title and some of the most memorable performances of the newer UFC era.
Thirteen years later, the circumstances are significantly different. The rematch will not be a match between young prospects on the preliminary part of the program, but the main fight of a major event in Las Vegas, in the division up to 170 pounds. According to Sofascore, the McGregor - Holloway match has been announced as a main-card welterweight bout, with T-Mobile Arena listed as the venue. The change of category is important because both men have been most strongly identified throughout their careers with lower weight classes, although McGregor has already competed at welterweight. For Holloway, that context brings an additional question of physical adjustment, while McGregor tries to use his experience of competing in a bigger division and his own reputation as a fighter who is most dangerous when allowed space for early pressure. It is exactly this combination of the past, changed circumstances, and uncertainty that makes the rematch commercially attractive and sporting-wise complex.
McGregor’s return after five years
McGregor’s return is the main theme of UFC 329 because it involves a fighter whose career has for years been connected with record viewership, major revenue, and events that go beyond the boundaries of the standard MMA audience. The UFC’s official biography describes him as a former featherweight and lightweight champion, and his last appearance in the octagon ended in July 2021 with a stoppage after a leg injury against Dustin Poirier. The UFC’s report on UFC 264 states that McGregor’s third match with Poirier ended prematurely precisely because of the injury, while reports at the time from CBS Sports and Sporting News described the doctor’s stoppage and the seriousness of the situation at the end of the first round. Since then, McGregor has announced a return several times, but his actual entry into the cage was delayed. For that reason, in Las Vegas it will be assessed not only whether he can beat a top opponent again, but also whether he can maintain pace, withstand pressure, and show form after a long period without a competitive fight.
According to TheScore, ahead of UFC 329 McGregor is 37 years old, has a two-fight losing streak, and a 1-3 record in his last four appearances since 2018. Those data explain why the return cannot be viewed only through old glory and marketing reach. McGregor remains one of the best-known names in combat sports, but the sporting top of the UFC changed while he was away, and new generations of fighters and current champions do not have to rely on his presence to build their own careers. A victory over Holloway would return him to serious conversations about major fights, potentially even about an attempt to challenge for a title in a third division, although such a path would depend on the UFC’s plans and the situation at welterweight or lightweight. A loss, however, would further open the question of how sporting-wise sustainable McGregor’s return is after five years outside the octagon.
Holloway seeks a turning point after an uneven period
Holloway enters the rematch as a fighter whose status rests not only on past achievements, but also on the ability to produce, in key moments, a performance that becomes part of UFC history. In its own video material about UFC 300, the UFC highlighted that Holloway knocked out Justin Gaethje in the final round of the fight for the symbolic BMF belt, while ESPN described the finish at the time as an explosive knockout in the final second. That moment remained one of the most recognizable scenes of 2024 and an important reason why Holloway still has strong negotiating and sporting capital. Still, according to TheScore, the American from Hawaii has a 2-2 record in his last four appearances, and in March 2026 he lost to Charles Oliveira at UFC 326 and was left without the BMF belt. That means the McGregor fight comes at a moment when a major victory can quickly change the direction of his career, but also when another loss can narrow the space for the biggest matches.
Holloway’s position is additionally interesting because his name is again being linked with Justin Gaethje, a currently relevant actor in the story about the top of the lightweight division. On July 3, 2026, MMA Fighting reported that Holloway, although fully focused on McGregor, is not ignoring the possibility that a victory in Las Vegas could also open a new fight with Gaethje. The same text states that Gaethje announced he would be cageside at UFC 329 and that he is attracted by the possibility of a fight with McGregor, which further broadens the circle of potential continuations. In an interview with MMA Fighting, Holloway emphasized that in the UFC, unpredictable matches can quickly materialize when there is enough interest. That is why his performance on July 11 is read not only through revenge against McGregor, but also through the broader picture of the lightweight and welterweight scene, or through the question of who, after that evening, earns the right to ask for the biggest stage.
UFC 329 as a test of sporting and commercial logic
In its official announcement, the UFC emphasized that UFC 329 takes place as part of International Fight Week and that the main card, alongside McGregor and Holloway, also includes the match between Benoît Saint Denis and Paddy Pimblett. In its publication of the full card, MMA Fighting stated that Cory Sandhagen against Mario Bautista, Brandon Royval against Lone’er Kavanaugh, and Gable Steveson against Elisha Ellison were also announced for the main card. Such a lineup shows that the organization is not relying the entire event solely on McGregor’s return, but is trying to combine a globally recognizable star, former champion Holloway, and several fights that could have consequences for the rankings. Still, there is no doubt that most of the attention will be directed at the main fight, because McGregor’s return and Holloway’s quest for revenge create a story with a rare combination of nostalgia, sporting risk, and commercial appeal.
It is precisely in that combination that the reason lies for why Holloway’s trilogy idea has resonance even before the rematch has taken place. If McGregor wins, the UFC will get a comeback story that could open the way toward an even bigger match, either against Holloway for a third time or against another opponent with title or commercial significance. If Holloway wins in convincing fashion, especially by stoppage, he could simultaneously erase the 2013 loss and take over part of McGregor’s stage. In both scenarios, talk of a third match would not be illogical, especially if the audience and sales results confirm that the rivalry still has great value. At the moment, however, the only confirmed fact is that the rematch is being held on July 11, 2026, in Las Vegas, while the story about Allegiant Stadium and a third meeting can be considered Holloway’s ambitious announcement, not an official UFC plan.
The welterweight division changes the questions for both men
The fact that the rematch has been announced at welterweight is especially important for analyzing the fight itself. McGregor won the biggest titles of his career at featherweight and lightweight, but he has already competed at 170 pounds, including well-known fights with Nate Diaz and Donald Cerrone. Holloway, on the other hand, left his deepest mark at featherweight, and later achieved some of his major performances at lightweight. Sofascore lists welterweight as the category of the main fight in its match announcement, which raises the question of how Holloway’s pace, striking volume, and durability will look against a physically stronger McGregor after a long layoff. On the other hand, the higher division can also mean less exhaustion from cutting weight, which could help Holloway maintain his rhythm through several rounds if the fight goes long.
For McGregor, the key will be to show that the explosiveness and precision on which he built his reputation have not disappeared during the five-year break. His best moments in the UFC often came early, when he could control distance, provoke opponents’ reactions, and punish mistakes with his left hand. Holloway, however, has a different profile: he is known for high volume, adaptability, and pressure that grows as the rounds progress. If McGregor does not find an early solution, the fight could become a test of conditioning, movement, and psychological stability after a long absence. If Holloway survives the initial danger and imposes his pace, the rematch could turn into proof of his evolution from a young fighter in 2013 into a veteran who knows how to use experience in the biggest matches.
Marketing bait or a real path toward a third fight?
The UFC has not yet announced that it plans a third match between McGregor and Holloway, nor has it officially confirmed any date at Allegiant Stadium for the continuation of their rivalry. Therefore, it is most accurate to describe Holloway’s allusion as public pressure and marketing bait that can become relevant only after the result of UFC 329. In combat sports, such announcements are not unusual: fighters try to talk about the future in order to raise the stakes of the current match, while the promotion retains flexibility and waits for the market reaction. McGregor’s presence further changes the calculation because a broader media frame is almost always created around his fights, regardless of form and ranking. Holloway understands this well and therefore builds his story not only on personal revenge, but also on the possibility that a victory over McGregor could be a ticket to an even bigger event.
For readers who follow the UFC outside the United States, it is important to distinguish confirmed information from promotional signals. It is confirmed that UFC 329 is headlined by McGregor and Holloway, that the fight is being held on July 11, 2026, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, and that it has been announced at welterweight. It is also confirmed that McGregor won their first meeting in 2013 by unanimous decision, while Holloway is now seeking a result that would open a new chapter in the rivalry. It has not been confirmed that the trilogy will happen, nor that Allegiant Stadium will host any third match. But the very fact that it is being discussed before the rematch shows how much UFC 329 has outgrown an ordinary comeback fight and become an event whose outcome could strongly shape the second half of the UFC’s 2026.
Sources:
- UFC – official announcement of Conor McGregor and Max Holloway’s rematch at UFC 329 and the context of International Fight Week (link)
- TheScore – report on Holloway’s statement that he wants to turn a victory over McGregor into a trilogy at an NFL stadium during 2026 (link)
- MMA Fighting – publication of the full UFC 329 card and confirmation of key fights on the main and preliminary program (link)
- MMA Fighting – interview with Max Holloway about the possible continuation of the story with Justin Gaethje and the broader context after UFC 329 (link)
- Sofascore – data on the date, location, and category of the McGregor - Holloway match at UFC 329 (link)
- MMA Decisions – judges’ scorecards and result of the first McGregor and Holloway match from 2013 (link)
- UFC – archival video and description of the first McGregor and Holloway match at UFC Fight Night: Shogun vs. Sonnen on August 17, 2013 (link)
- UFC – summary of Max Holloway’s knockout against Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 (link)
- UFC – report on UFC 264 and the ending of Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor’s third match after a leg injury (link)