Written by Megan Taylor, sports reporter covering international sports since 2020
Conor McGregor vs Max Holloway 2 will take place at UFC 329 in Las Vegas on Sunday, July 12, 13 years after their first meeting in Boston helped send both men toward very different kinds of stardom.
Back in 2013, McGregor and Holloway were not booked as a major rivalry bout. Holloway stepped in as an injury replacement for Andy Ogle, and the fight sat on the prelims at UFC Fight Night 26.
Their rematch now arrives with a very different weight around it, following Conor McGregor’s UFC 329 return against Max Holloway after years of titles, injuries, controversy and reinvention.
A Fight That Began By Accident
The first McGregor vs Holloway meeting happened before either fighter had built the legacy now attached to his name.
McGregor was 25, full of confidence and already being treated by the UFC like someone bigger than his record suggested. Holloway was just 21, the youngest fighter on the roster, and still early in the process of becoming one of the sport’s most respected names.
Speaking to Fox Sports Australia, Holloway remembered the way the UFC handled McGregor’s entrance that night.
“They said, ‘Hold up 10 minutes, we’re going to play the live walkouts,’” Holloway said.
“Then he got the champion treatment, he got the blackout, and I was like, ‘Wow, that was pretty crazy.’”
That moment said plenty. Before the belts, whiskey brand, boxing money or global fame, the promotion already saw McGregor as a fighter who could shift attention.
McGregor’s Road From Prospect To Global Name
McGregor won the first meeting and soon became the UFC’s loudest attraction.
He knocked out Jose Aldo in 13 seconds to win the featherweight title, then became the first UFC fighter to hold two belts at the same time. His rise turned a former Dublin plumber into the most recognised mixed martial arts fighter of his era.
The money fight with Floyd Mayweather pushed him even further into the mainstream. It also changed the way many fans saw McGregor, who became less of a rising UFC contender and more of a global sporting celebrity.
After that came a more complicated chapter. The New York bus attack, legal issues, sexual assault allegations and a badly broken leg all became part of the public story around him.
McGregor has not fought in almost five years, and that absence is one of the biggest questions heading into UFC 329. Training footage suggests he has focused heavily on boxing and power, but no one knows exactly how that translates once the cage door closes.
“There’s a different thud when you fight against me,” McGregor said last week.
“I look forward to my improvements.”
Official event and fighter information is available through the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Holloway Built A Different Kind Of Legacy
Holloway’s career after the first McGregor fight moved along a quieter but deeply respected road.
He put together a 13-fight winning streak, beat names such as Charles Oliveira and Anthony Pettis, then claimed the UFC featherweight title against Jose Aldo.
Holloway defended that belt three times before his run met the rise of Alexander Volkanovski, who beat him three times. Many fighters fade after a run like that, but Holloway rebuilt.
His knockout of Justin Gaethje to win the BMF belt became one of the great late-fight moments in UFC history. It also reminded fans that Holloway’s career has never been only about toughness.
“I’m just blessed,” he explained to Fox Sports Australia this week.
Holloway is now a former world champion, a father and one of the most experienced fighters on the UFC roster. His value has come from staying active, improving and finding new ways to win.
How The Styles Have Changed
The first fight showed a younger McGregor moving lightly, working from a wide stance and setting traps with counters and kicks.
The later version of McGregor became more planted, more boxing-heavy and more interested in generating power with his hands. That may suit a rematch where timing and early damage could shape the fight.
Holloway has changed just as much. In 2013, he was fearless, durable and willing to pressure, but he was still raw compared with the fighter he later became.
Now he is one of the best volume strikers in UFC history. His pace, combinations and understanding of range have carried him through title fights, five-round wars and championship-level rematches.
McGregor, however, has suggested Holloway is not much different from the fighter he faced in Boston.
“I think Conor said that I have not changed one bit, which is kind of crazy,” Holloway told Fox Sports Australia.
“But if he needs to tell himself that to make it to the fight, then so be it.
“If I didn’t change in that time, I don’t think I’d be where I am today.”
That is the real hook of UFC 329. The names are the same, but almost everything around them has changed.