Max Holloway is not backing away from the verbal warfare expected ahead of his long-awaited rematch with Conor McGregor at UFC 329 this summer.
The former featherweight champion says he is prepared for whatever version of McGregor shows up, both inside and outside the Octagon. Their fight on July 11 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas marks McGregor’s return after a long layoff since 2021.
“It is what it is”
Holloway knows the spotlight will be intense once McGregor enters the building again. Still, he believes the Irish star looks locked in based on recent activity. Holloway acknowledged his upcoming rematch with Conor in a recent video on his Youtube channel.
“It is what it is. A fight is a fight.”
“A lot of people talking about Conor maybe not showing up, or even if he is training, but he looks pretty dedicated from everything that he’s posting out, and I think he’s pretty serious.”
“I think he really misses the sport and really wants to get back in there, so I’m glad for the opportunity. July 11th can’t come soon enough.”
Holloway also acknowledged McGregor’s impact on the sport and welcomed his return.
“He did what he did. He changed the sport in a major way,”
“Glad to have him back, but unfortunately, he’s got to see me.”
Holloway hints at bringing his own trash talk
McGregor has already started to stir attention ahead of the rematch, a trait that has defined much of his career. Holloway says he is ready to respond in kind if needed.
“Conor McGregor is Conor McGregor,”
“I think he’ll be respectful to a certain point, but dude has the gift of gab.”
“So, if he starts talking, you might actually see a little bit of Waiʻanae boy come out of me for this one.”
“Because not many of you guys know, if you guys want to shit-talk, I love shit-talking too, I just don’t do it that much. But if he wants to go that route, I’d love to tussle.”
Beyond the buildup, Holloway expects a fast-paced fight between two strikers. He says he plans to push for a decisive finish in front of a major International Fight Week crowd.
“I’m going out there, I’m not looking for a long time in there. I’m looking for a big finish,”
Max Enters The Rematch as a Marked Favourite
Max Holloway enters the highly anticipated UFC 329 rematch as a substantial betting favorite, with lines generally hovering between -315 and -400 across major UFC sportsbooks.
This gives Holloway an implied win probability of roughly 76% to 80%, highlighting a massive market shift from their first encounter thirteen years ago.
Conversely, Conor McGregor finds himself as a heavy underdog ranging from +240 to +350, marking the longest pre-fight underdog odds of his entire UFC career.