UFC: Conor McGregor to fight Max Holloway in UFC return in July

Conor McGregor will return to action for the first time in five years when he faces Max Holloway in a heavyweight bout at UFC 329 in Las Vegas on July 11.

The 37-year-old Irishman hasn’t fought since breaking his leg in a 2021 loss to Dustin Poirier.

He was scheduled to return against American Michael Chandler in 2024 but withdrew after breaking his toe just two weeks before the match.

The fight with Holloway was a rematch of their 2013 featherweight bout, which McGregor won on points.

Holloway, 34, is a formidable comeback opponent for McGregor as the Hawaiian has frequently competed at the highest level in recent years.

McGregor, one of the biggest MMA stars in history, has 22 wins and 6 defeats since his debut in 2008.

McGregor became the UFC’s first simultaneous two-weight world champion after winning featherweight titles in 2015 and lightweight titles in 2016, but his career has been rocked by controversy in recent years.

Last year, he accepted an 18-month ban for violating the UFC’s anti-doping policy after missing three drug tests in a 12-month period in 2024.

The ban, which dates back to the third missed test in September 2024, ended in March.

McGregor happened tested eleven times, external More than any other fighter on the UFC’s roster this year by Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD).