Max Holloway did not leave UFC 329 treating Conor McGregor’s injury stoppage like a clean ending. He left with two separate thoughts: McGregor did not look right before the fight started, and the trilogy is there if the UFC wants the rivalry settled properly.
Holloway beat McGregor by first-round injury TKO in the UFC 329 main event, after McGregor’s knee gave out during the opening sequence. The official result moved Holloway to 28-9 and left the rivalry in a strange 1-1 place, since McGregor won their first meeting in 2013 and the trilogy talk had already been building before UFC 329.
Speaking afterward, Holloway said he noticed something was different before McGregor even reached the Octagon.
“I mean, I don’t know,” Holloway said. “I did the UFC podcast before, and me and ‘Wonderboy’ talked about it. Even him walking into the octagon, it didn’t seem like the same Conor. He stood in there to fight, but I thought he would be a little bit more rowdy, a little bit more crazy. He looked like really, really calm, super calm. I was like, ‘Oh wow. Let’s see how this goes.’ I knew he was going to attack me with something. It was that kick. It sucks.”
Max Holloway says Conor McGregor looked off right before their fight:
“Even with him walking to the octagon, it didn’t seem like the same Conor.” #UFC329 pic.twitter.com/W5vZz4ZaO2
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) July 12, 2026
In his own statement after UFC 329, McGregor said the knee injury came out of nowhere and described the pain as hell.
Holloway Is Not Forcing A Quick Turnaround
The second piece of Holloway’s answer was less about what happened in the cage and more about what comes next. He tied the possible third fight to McGregor’s recent talk about fighting at 170 pounds, then said he wants to see the injury picture before deciding how the trilogy should be handled.
“He was talking about this 170 domain,” Holloway said. “I put this 170 work. We worked our asses here, especially after turning around so fast in that March fight, and to come back. I want to feel that domain he’s talking about, that 170-pound Conor that he’s talking about. This different world. That’s what I want. I want to see what his injury is. As for me, I’m down to come back in 2027. With that March fight and then this fight, I know I came out unscathed, I owe my family some time: My wife and my son. That’s my focus. You’re going to see ‘Blessed’ return in 2027.”
🚨 Max Holloway says he’s willing to wait until 2027 for the Conor McGregor rematch:
“I want to see what his injury is. I’m down to come back 2027. I know I came out unscathed but I owe my family some time.
You guys are gonna see Blessed return in 2027.” #UFC329 pic.twitter.com/esDRZ4Cirf
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) July 12, 2026
That puts a pause button on the immediate trilogy talk, even if the UFC has every reason to revisit it. Dana White said doctors initially suspected a serious knee injury, and an MRI was expected to determine the full damage.
Holloway has leverage because he walked out healthy, won the rematch, and did not have to absorb much damage. He also has a family-time explanation that gives him room to wait while McGregor’s medical picture clears up.
For McGregor, the story is now about recovery and whether the trilogy can still be sold as unfinished business at welterweight. For Holloway, it is simpler: he got the official win, noticed something was off, and says everyone may have to wait until 2027 for “Blessed” to return.
