Conor McGregor wants Max Holloway in 2027 for UFC contract finale
Conor McGregor called for a 2027 Max Holloway trilogy fight after his UFC 329 knee injury ended their rematch in seconds.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
2 min read
Conor McGregor wants Max Holloway in 2027, with ESPN reporting that the former two-division UFC champion used Instagram on Monday to call for a trilogy fight during International Fight Week in Las Vegas next summer.
McGregor, 38, framed the proposed bout as the final fight on his current exclusive UFC contract, according to ESPN’s Brett Okamoto. McGregor wrote on Instagram: “What was to be a generational beating is now to be reset. IFW 2027. The Last Dance.”
The post came after McGregor’s July 11 meeting with Holloway at UFC 329 ended almost as soon as it began. ESPN reported that McGregor hurt his knee while throwing a kick in the opening seconds at T-Mobile Arena, leading to a first-round TKO loss.
According to ESPN, McGregor is expected to have surgery for a torn ACL. The Instagram caption was posted with a video showing him warming up backstage in Las Vegas before walking out for the UFC 329 main event.
When would Conor McGregor fight Max Holloway again?
McGregor is asking for the fight to happen at the UFC’s International Fight Week in Las Vegas in 2027, according to his Instagram post cited by ESPN. No official booking was reported.
International Fight Week is one of the UFC’s tentpole stretches in Las Vegas, often used for major fight cards and fan events. In McGregor’s post, the timing is tied to what he called “The Last Dance,” a reference ESPN said points to the last bout on his current UFC deal.
ESPN reported that McGregor has not ruled out agreeing to another UFC contract after completing this one. If he fights out the deal, he would also be able to consider offers elsewhere, according to the report.
Why is the Holloway trilogy still alive?
McGregor and Holloway are level at one win apiece, ESPN noted. McGregor won their first meeting by unanimous decision in 2013, when both were still rising featherweight prospects.
The second fight, at UFC 329, took place at the 170-pound welterweight limit, according to ESPN. Holloway won by first-round TKO after McGregor’s knee injury halted the bout.
Holloway has said he wants to wait for McGregor’s return so they can complete the trilogy, ESPN reported. That leaves the matchup on the table, at least publicly, while McGregor heads toward surgery and recovery.
For now, the fight exists as McGregor’s callout rather than a confirmed UFC event. The pieces ESPN reported are clear enough: McGregor wants Holloway, wants Las Vegas, wants International Fight Week 2027 and wants the matchup attached to the final fight of his current contract.
This story draws on original reporting from ESPN.com.