T-Mobile Arena Hosts 2026 Grudge Match of 'The Notorious' vs. Max Holloway
History repeats itself. A common saying that precedes an uncommon fighter. The uncommon fighter’s name is Conor McGregor, and he has been in the UFC for 13 years. He’s faced many opponents, but what makes ‘The Notorious’ go fight an opponent for a second time? Is it because Max Holloway is looking to have revenge for the loss he suffered? Since he last fought in 2013, he’s made a nickname for himself as ‘Blessed’ with the earned blessing of being ranked fourth in the Men’s Lightweight Division. The interesting thing, aside from this being a rematch, is that it’s being advertised as a Welterweight Bout in the Men’s Welterweight Division for UFC 329.
McGregor has made attempts at a successful return to the UFC, and to be featured on a title card marks a special moment in time. If he can beat Holloway, he may be able to call this time a success as well! He does have a 5-inch reach in this fight and could keep his more experienced opponent at bay with that advantage. He even carries a 0.67 takedown average every fifteen minutes, which is a higher average than ‘Blessed’. He will still have to be careful, though, as this fight brings him an opponent who is fresh off winning a majority of their last five fights.
Holloway has made a name for himself since 2013 with increased wins and being in the top five of the Men’s Lightweight Division. He effectively has evolved with several title fights and was even the undisputed Men’s Featherweight Champion. In this fight, he will go pound-for-pound against ‘The Notorious’ and can boast as he lands 6.91 strikes per minute. In effect, he seeks to be faster than his opponent at this stage in his fight career and has a solid 81% takedown defense that will leave McGregor some pause on any attempt he makes. However, statistics are slightly skewed in his favor for this fight due to the increased number of fights he’s had versus his opponent’s number of fights.
Furthermore, the statistics point to the younger 34-year-old fighter, or ‘Blessed,’ as winning this fight by KO/TKO. This is highly likely considering he’s had more fights in the sport, leading to sustained development of striking techniques as well as maintenance of the speed of his strikes. He could succumb to his older 37-year-old opponent’s striking techniques if he cannot close the distance between them. However, even with McGregor’s reach being undisputed as an advantage, it’s not going to save him if Holloway goes inside for an uppercut or hammer strike. That’s why ‘The Notorious’ should focus on maintaining distance and scoring more points than his opponent if he hopes to have the return envisioned by him and his fans.
Unfortunately, time takes a toll on all fighters, and as history repeats itself, so does the aging process of man. McGregor hasn’t seen his last days in the UFC, but to be paired with this fight and hope for a positive outcome is a lofty wish indeed. He could win it in a surprising turn of events if his 34-year-old opponent gets caught in an inescapable position for a submission. It is unlikely this will occur. The statistics are still based in reality, and reality will see an unsuccessful return of ‘The Notorious’ by the end of this fight when all stream it live through Paramount+ on July 11th at 9:00 p.m. ET.
