Former UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway says he is fully committed to preparing for a potential rematch with Conor McGregor, even though no official contract has been signed and uncertainty continues to surround the Irish fighter’s long-awaited return to the Octagon.
Holloway revealed that he is already in training camp for a possible bout that could headline UFC 329 in Las Vegas this July. However, the matchup remains speculative as questions persist over whether McGregor is ready—or willing—to resume his mixed martial arts career after nearly five years away from active competition.
Despite the uncertainty, Holloway made clear that he has no intention of waiting passively. The Hawaiian fighter said he wants another opportunity to face McGregor and erase the memory of their first encounter more than a decade ago.
“I mean, it sucks,” Holloway said in an interview with Paramount+. “I would just like to get one back.”
The comments underline Holloway’s continued desire to revisit one of the defining early moments of his UFC career. The two fighters first met in 2013, when a rising McGregor defeated Holloway by unanimous decision. Although McGregor secured the victory, he suffered a torn ACL during the fight, an injury that sidelined him temporarily during his rapid ascent in the sport.
At the time, Holloway was still an emerging prospect in the UFC featherweight division. Since then, he has built a legacy of his own, becoming one of the most respected fighters in the organization and establishing himself as one of the greatest featherweights in UFC history.
Now, more than a decade later, Holloway believes the timing could finally be right for a rematch.
“My head space is good, it’s straight,” Holloway said. “We kinda know when I fight. We kinda know where we want to fight, why we want to fight, so just getting in the gym, getting there, getting it done.”
The possibility of a rematch has generated significant interest among MMA fans because of the contrasting trajectories of both fighters. Holloway has remained consistently active at the elite level, while McGregor’s career has been defined in recent years by injuries, inactivity, and outside business ventures.
McGregor, once the UFC’s biggest global attraction, has not fought since July 2021. In that bout, he suffered a devastating broken tibia during a trilogy fight against Dustin Poirier. Since then, his comeback has been repeatedly delayed by injury recovery, contract discussions, and a suspension related to anti-doping regulations.
Speculation regarding McGregor’s return intensified earlier this year when rumors linked him to a high-profile event planned near the White House this summer. However, those reports lost momentum after Michael Chandler—who had long been associated with a potential McGregor fight—was booked instead against Mauricio Ruffy.
That development cast further doubt over McGregor’s immediate fighting future. Nevertheless, Holloway appears determined to remain ready in case negotiations move forward.
“It’s a huge fight,” Holloway said. “Anything with Conor McGregor is huge, but having history with the dude, being able to get one back would be cool.”
The commercial significance of a McGregor comeback cannot be overstated. Even after years away from competition, the former two-division champion remains one of the most recognizable athletes in combat sports. His return would almost certainly become one of the UFC’s biggest pay-per-view events in recent years.
For Holloway, the matchup offers more than financial rewards. It also presents a chance to reassert himself after a disappointing outing in his most recent fight.
The 34-year-old suffered a unanimous-decision defeat against Charles Oliveira on March 7, losing the symbolic BMF title in the process. The loss was widely viewed as one-sided and marked a difficult setback for a fighter who had recently regained momentum.
Holloway acknowledged that the defeat remains fresh in his mind and said he is eager to move forward quickly.
“You’re only as good as your last fight, they say,” he explained. “And we’re going to get everybody forgetting about that last fight as soon as possible.”
The BMF title, while unofficial in comparison to UFC championship belts, carries significant promotional value within the organization. Losing it to Oliveira added pressure on Holloway to rebound strongly in his next appearance.
A fight against McGregor would provide the perfect stage for such a response.
The narrative surrounding the matchup is compelling for several reasons. Holloway is still viewed as an elite and active competitor capable of competing with the best fighters in the world. McGregor, meanwhile, represents one of the sport’s biggest unanswered questions.
At his peak, McGregor transformed the UFC through his charisma, knockout power, and crossover appeal. He became the first fighter in UFC history to simultaneously hold titles in two weight classes after capturing both the featherweight and lightweight championships.
His rise helped push MMA into mainstream global popularity and generated unprecedented revenue for the organization. However, his career has slowed dramatically in recent years due to injuries and inactivity.
A return against Holloway would therefore carry both sporting and symbolic significance. It would allow McGregor to test himself against a former champion who has remained active at the highest level while also revisiting a rivalry from the early stages of his career.
For Holloway, the fight represents unfinished business.
“I mean, we have history,” he said. “We fought a very long time ago. I told you guys, if somebody’s got one over me, I want to get him back. I’d love to get him back.”
From a stylistic perspective, the matchup could also prove intriguing. Holloway is known for his relentless pace, high-volume striking, and durability, while McGregor built his reputation on precision counter-striking and knockout power.
However, many analysts believe Holloway would enter the fight as the clear favorite because of McGregor’s prolonged absence from competition.
Long layoffs are notoriously difficult to overcome in mixed martial arts, particularly against opponents who remain active and continue to evolve technically. McGregor’s age—37 by the time the proposed fight would occur—also raises questions about whether he can still perform at championship level.
Holloway, by contrast, has continued to compete regularly against elite opponents. Although he recently lost to Oliveira, he remains one of the UFC’s most battle-tested fighters.
His experience, conditioning, and activity level could create major problems for McGregor if the fight materializes.
Still, McGregor’s star power remains unmatched in the UFC. Even after years away from fighting, his potential return continues to dominate headlines and generate enormous fan interest.
That reality explains why fighters across multiple divisions continue to pursue bouts against him. A matchup with McGregor can dramatically increase visibility, pay-per-view numbers, and career earnings.
For the UFC, a Holloway-McGregor rematch would offer a blend of nostalgia, competitive intrigue, and commercial appeal.
The organization has increasingly leaned on high-profile legacy fights to anchor major events, especially as it seeks to maintain global audience growth. A rematch between two former featherweight champions with significant history would fit that strategy perfectly.
At the same time, uncertainty remains the defining factor.
No contract has been signed, no official announcement has been made, and McGregor’s willingness to return remains unclear. Until those questions are resolved, Holloway’s training camp is effectively based on possibility rather than certainty.
Yet Holloway appears comfortable with that ambiguity.
His focus, he says, is simply on staying prepared.
That mindset reflects the reality of modern MMA, where opportunities can emerge suddenly and negotiations can shift rapidly behind the scenes. Fighters often prepare for potential opponents long before contracts are finalized.
For Holloway, the gamble is worth it.
A victory over McGregor would not only avenge a past defeat but could also reposition him near the center of the UFC’s global spotlight once again.
As speculation continues surrounding McGregor’s future, Holloway is making one thing clear: if the Irish superstar decides to return, he wants to be standing on the opposite side of the Octagon.
