second battle between Conor McGregor Max Holloway reportedly expected to compete at UFC 329 on July 11 in Las Vegas Veteran MMA reporter Ariel Helwani As well as several other media outlets, the fight is expected to headline International Boxing Week at T-Mobile Arena. The speculation was further fueled by an EA Sports UFC 6 trailer, which showed a simulated version of the fight, widely seen as one of the clearest indicators yet of the UFC’s plans for a fight that has been one of the most anticipated by fans since its debut in 2013.The proposed fight would mark McGregor’s first appearance inside the Octagon since a July 2021 TKO loss to Dustin Poirier, which left him with a broken leg and extended his absence to nearly five years. McGregor, a former featherweight, lightweight and interim featherweight champion, has been linked to a comeback multiple times during this period, although negotiations and injuries have stymied previous comebacks. The closest he came to competing again was in June 2024, when he withdrew from a scheduled match against Michael Chandler due to a toe injury.
Holloway rematch back in focus
The current plan is for McGregor to face Holloway in their first meeting in Boston in 2013, when McGregor defeated the then-young Hawaiian by unanimous decision early in Holloway’s UFC career. At the time, Holloway was still establishing himself in the promotion while McGregor was beginning the journey that would eventually turn him into one of the UFC’s biggest commercial stars. More than a decade later, the two fighters return to the rematch with vastly different resumes. Holloway is a former featherweight and BMF champion, and while his long career has been built on relentless punch volume and durability, his recent performances have placed him among the best in the division. His last fight ended in a loss to Charles Oliveira in March, although he came into that fight coming off a unanimous decision victory over Poirier, the opponent who handed McGregor back-to-back losses in 2021. Prior to Oliveira’s win, there were reports that the UFC intended to pit McGregor against the winner of that BMF title fight, but Oliveira’s dominant grappling performance against Holloway cast uncertainty into those plans. However, according to Helwani’s report, the UFC now intends to move forward with the McGregor vs. Holloway fight regardless. The fight is already shaping up to be a tight contest centered around two fighters known for their pressure and volume on the feet, especially given Holloway’s penchant for lengthy exchanges and McGregor being one of the promotion’s sharpest counterpunchers during his championship years.
UFC 6 trailer fuels speculation
Conversation surrounding the fight intensified this week after EA Sports released the first gameplay trailer for UFC 6, the latest entry in its MMA game series, scheduled for release on PlayStation and Xbox in June. The trailer begins with a lengthy mock fight between Holloway and McGregor, with many fans interpreting the sequence as another sign that the UFC expects this real-life showdown to headline UFC 329. In the video, Holloway drops and finishes an animated version of McGregor with a punching combination, effectively reversing the outcome of their first meeting. The trailer then moved to Alex Pereira defeating Ciryl Gane after initially coming under pressure, with commentator Jon Anik announcing the ending.
UFC 6 Trailer Gameplay
Other clips from the trailer show Ilia Topuria landing a combination with Justin Gaethje, Paddy Pimblett and Arman Tsarukyan, while Khabib Nurmagomedov also appears in a promotional clip. EA Sports has confirmed Pereira and Holloway as the cover athletes for the Standard and Ultimate Editions of the game. “Former UFC middleweight and light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira and former UFC featherweight and BMF champion Max Holloway headline the Standard and Ultimate Edition covers, ushering in a new era of fighter personalities in gameplay, allowing players to fight like never before,” the company said in a statement. “This year’s cover athletes showcase the modern standard for elite UFC superstars. Alex Pereira brings his signature blend of precision and raw power to the Standard Edition cover, while Max Holloway’s relentless pace and unparalleled volume are epitomized on the Ultimate Edition cover. Their presence on the cover reflects the new era of the franchise, with each athlete’s unique moves and mindset felt in every exchange.“
Holloway acknowledges speculation surrounding McGregor fight
Holloway personally addressed the rumors during an appearance on UFC on Paramount, where he acknowledged the growing speculation surrounding the proposed July fight but stopped short of confirming that a contract had been signed. “I’ve seen all the talk that you’ve seen, I haven’t really heard anything, but it wouldn’t be a bad moment,” Holloway said. “We have history, we fought a war a long time ago, and I’m telling you, if anyone gets the better of me, I want to get them back.” The former BMF champion, who often describes himself as an avid gamer, also spoke about appearing on the UFC 6 cover after using combinations from his earlier UFC fights while training at the start of his MMA career. “It means a lot, man, I’m a gamer and as a kid, you’d see the cover of any video game, and I have a history with UFC games… It’s crazy, to be here and be on the cover, you dream about this as a kid,” he said. Holloway then returned to the subject of McGregor’s return. “I would love to have him back and everyone is talking about him coming back and everyone is talking about how serious he actually looks and he looks like he’s really training and training and really wants to come back and compete, which is exciting,” Holloway said. “He looks hungrier, he looks super hungry… I gotta go back.” If finalized, the fight would pit one of the UFC’s most high-profile former champions against one of the organization’s most enduring long-time contenders during the organization’s biggest annual showcase week in Las Vegas, more than 13 years after they first met in Boston.
