McGregor targets 2027 'Last Dance' vs. Holloway
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- Conor McGregor, 38, posted on Instagram Monday calling for his final UFC-contract fight to headline International Fight Week next summer in Las Vegas, naming Max Holloway as his desired opponent and branding the proposed bout 'The Last Dance.'
- McGregor's 'Last Dance' label refers to the expiration of his exclusive UFC deal; the former two-weight champion has not ruled out signing a new contract afterward but would be free to pursue offers from other promotions.
- McGregor tore his ACL throwing a kick in the opening seconds of his UFC 329 main event against Holloway on July 11 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, resulting in a first-round TKO loss; he is expected to undergo surgery.
- McGregor and Holloway are 1-1: McGregor won their 2013 featherweight meeting by unanimous decision, while the July 11 rematch was contested at the 170-pound welterweight limit.
- Holloway has publicly said he wants to wait for McGregor's return to finish their trilogy rather than book an interim fight.
Why it matters: By publicly naming Holloway and a venue timeline before he's had surgery, McGregor is putting the UFC on the clock to either grant a marketable star-vs-star finale or let the 38-year-old walk — a negotiation with no leverage on McGregor's side given his torn ACL and the promotion holding the matchmaking power.
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