UFC star Conor McGregor returning to the cage for first time in 5 years in July

Mixed Martial ArtsUFC star Conor McGregor returning to the cage for first time in 5 years in JulyMcGregor, the biggest draw in MMA history, has not fought since he suffered a TKO loss in 2021.Conor McGregor at UFC 264 event on July 10, 2021, in Las Vegas, Nevada.Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC / Getty ImagesShareAdd NBC News to GoogleMay 17, 2026, 12:04 AM EDTBy Greg RosensteinMMA superstar Conor McGregor will return to the octagon for the first time since 2021 to face Max Holloway on July 11 in Las Vegas, UFC President Dana White announced Saturday. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.McGregor has not fought since a TKO loss to Dustin Poirier in 2021. McGregor suffered a broken leg in that fight, requiring surgery. He was later scheduled to face Michael Chandler at UFC 303 in July 2024 but pulled out less than three weeks from the matchup with a toe injury. McGregor, 37, is considered the biggest draw in the sport’s history. The top four pay-per-views ever included the Irish fighter, including 2.4 million buys for his bout against Khabib Nurmagomedov and 1.8 million against Poirier in his last fight. McGregor’s 2017 boxing match against Floyd Mayweather Jr. — a 10th-round knockout loss — generated 4.3 million PPV buys and more than $600 million in total revenue, according to Showtime.The former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion, known for his brash personality and trash talking of opponents, was the first fighter to hold titles in two divisions simultaneously. He boasts wins over the likes of José Aldo, Nate Diaz and Donald Cerrone but has dropped three of his last four bouts — one to Nurmagomedov and two straight to Poirier.McGregor (22-6) defeated Holloway (26-9) via unanimous decision in 2013. Holloway, 34, is one of the best fighters of his generation but is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Charles Oliveira in March. Outside of the cage, McGregor has faced had legal problems. In 2019, he was...