Conor McGregor is being targeted to rematch Max Holloway at UFC 329 on July 11 in Las Vegas, with the former champion expected to return to the Octagon for the first time since 2021.
Ariel Helwani reports that the plan is for McGregor to face Holloway during International Fight Week, noting the matchup is very close to being finalized but not yet 100 percent done. "I was the first person to tell you that Conor was coming back. I was the first person to tell you that it’s gonna be Conor vs. Max," Helwani said.
Helwani added that negotiations are nearly complete. "As of right now, they’re on the goal line," he said. "Something awful has to happen for this fight not to come to fruition on July 11. That is the plan. It’s not quite 100%, but it’s very close to 100%."
UFC CEO Dana White, speaking after UFC 328, confirmed that no contract is signed yet but echoed optimism about McGregor’s return. "There’s no deal done with Conor," White said. "I was just saying I’m confident. I was confident last year, too, but I’m way more confident this year."
White also addressed McGregor’s compensation, referencing a specific structure tied to his pay-per-view history. "There’s a formula to it," he said. "McGregor’s going to do just fine. It’s based on, if you take the average of his pay-per-view buys, what they do, there’s an equation for that — we’ve done it with a lot more guys than just McGregor."
McGregor has not fought since 2021 and has said his current contract, which has two fights left, is effectively void without pay-per-views. He is described in the article as the biggest pay-per-view star in UFC history.
