After UFC 300 win, Holloway eyeing fights with Topuria, McGregor

Max Holloway (blue gloves) reacts after defeating Justin Gaethje (not pictured) during UFC 300 at T-Mobile Arena. Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

After UFC 300 win, Max Holloway eyeing fights with Ilia Topuria, Conor McGregor

By Michael Gallagher | Last updated 4/17/24

Following his vicious knockout win over Justin Gaethje (25-5) at UFC 300 last weekend, seemingly everyone wants a piece of Max Holloway (26-7).

Current UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria (15-0) said he wants to fight Holloway at UFC 306 on Sept. 14 at The Sphere in Las Vegas if he’ll put his BMF championship on the line.

And while Holloway does eventually want a showdown with the 145-pound champion, he also recently stated that he’s eyeing a bout with arguably the biggest star in the UFC: Conor McGregor (22-6).

“It would be hard not to say with him finally getting announced that he’s actually fighting, Conor [McGregor] 2, to run it back” Holloway told KHON’s Rob DeMello. “That’s the hugest fight, I think.”

Holloway and McGregor fought once previously back in August 2013. McGregor won via unanimous decision in his second UFC bout. If Holloway wants the rematch, he’ll have to wait a while.

The 36-year-old McGregor is scheduled to fight Michael Chandler at UFC 303 on June 29. It’ll mark his first fight in nearly three years. Since McGregor will need time to recover and get in a full training camp, a bout against Holloway likely wouldn’t be feasible until late October or early November.

Ilia Topuria thinks Max Holloway is overrated:

“I know what’s gonna happen when [me and Max Holloway] share the octagon. In reality, he’s not so good that people think he is.

You just have to see his face, he looks like he had an accident in a motorcycle without the helmet.”… pic.twitter.com/MQtXcAumtf
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) April 17, 2024

Meaning a fight against Topuria, who won the featherweight championship on Feb. 17 from Alexander Volkanovski — a fighter who owns two wins over Holloway — is likely to happen sooner.

“Legacy, ideal-wise, trying to get back to an undisputed title, [fighting] Topuria [makes the most sense], you know,” Holloway added. “He beat the man that I couldn’t help but figure out. We’ll see. … It’s looking like it’s going to be him next.”

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