Written with the help of artificial-intelligence tools and checked by automated controls.
This content was machine-translated from the French version.
Six days after sustaining a left shin injury that brought his UFC 329 bout against Max Holloway to an end, Conor McGregor has spoken out. On X, the Irishman made it clear: his final fight under contract with the UFC will be against âBlessedâ, to complete the trilogy. Neither Michael Chandler nor Dustin Poirier. âThe Notoriousâ wants to settle the score with Holloway.
The injury, then the response
An attempted low kick went wrong, his leg buckled and the referee stopped the fight.
In Las Vegas on 11 July, McGregor didnât last a minute. An attempted low kick went wrong, his leg buckled and the referee stopped the fight. Since then, speculation has been rife: Chandler to reignite a two-year-old rivalry, Poirier to settle an unfinished score, or even a retirement imposed by Dana White.
The man himself put an end to the suspense by responding directly to an online commenter. His preference is clear and unequivocal: âIt has to be Max Holloway.â This message, reported by specialist media outlets including TMZ and Bloody Elbow, confirms that there is just one fight left to fulfil under his contract with the organisation.
A financial and sporting issue
For the UFC, the trilogy represents an obvious marketing opportunity: a third instalment between two of the most bankable figures in welterweight history. For Holloway, the challenge is to cement his recent dominance after dominating the first bout in 2013 and then winning the second by TKO. For McGregor, itâs about proving he can still compete at the very highest level, aged 38, after a five-year absence and what looks set to be a lengthy rehabilitation.
One major unknown remains: the condition of his leg. Dana White has already publicly hinted that retirement would not be out of the question. McGregor, for his part, has made his choice. It is now up to the UFC to decide whether there is still time to make it happen.
A trilogy that speaks to everyone
The third bout between McGregor and Holloway, should it take place, will join a long line of legendary UFC trilogies. On paper, the match-up ticks all the boxes: two bankable fighters, a history already featuring two clashes with contrasting outcomes, and a narrative that resonates even with newcomers to the sport. The first bout dates back to 2013; the second went Hollowayâs way via TKO. A third bout would give each fighter a chance to definitively establish the pecking order, whilst providing the organisation with an event tailor-made for the main card of a end-of-year pay-per-view.
The real issue: McGregorâs leg
One major unknown remains, and everyone at the UFC is well aware of it: the recovery from this injury to his left shin. Even with the best possible medical care, this type of injury sidelines an athlete for several months before a full return to sparring, and then to competition. For a 38-year-old fighter who has been out of the Octagon for several years, the prospect of a comeback is measured in seasons rather than quarters. Dana White has, in fact, hinted at this publicly, raising the possibility of an earlier-than-expected end to his career.
Ultimately, sporting ambitions take a back seat to physical condition. McGregor may well dream of this trilogy, but his shin must be up to the challenge. Footage from Las Vegas showed a leg buckling under his own weight â a sign that even the greatest fighters struggle to come to terms with. Recovery, regained confidence, a gradual return to training: itâs all still to be seen. For Holloway, the wait is also a test â a test of the patience of a champion already at the peak of his powers. For the UFC, it is a situation to be handled with care, balancing the need to put on a show with medical responsibility.
