Former undisputed UFC featherweight champion, Max Holloway has questioned the immediate fighting future of his former foe and fellow former division titleholder, Conor McGregor – questioning what reason the Dubliner would have to make an Octagon comeback.
Holloway, who shared the Octagon with the 33-year-old Crumlin native back in 2014, suffered a unanimous decision loss against his then-fellow featherweight division prospect – as he dropped his third promotional defeat.
Returning to the Octagon this weekend at UFC 276 during International Fight Week, Hawaii striking favorite, Holloway is set to meet with undisputed featherweight champion and two-time opponent, Alexander Volkanovski in the pair’s trilogy title bout.
Last time out, Holloway, who managed to land a trio of successful title defenses during his undisputed championship reign, managed to defeat Yair Rodriguez with a unanimous decision win back in November.
During and post-fight, however, Holloway was widely linked to a rematch against the aforenoted former two-weight champion, McGregor – with the latter notably playing up a potential re-run when he posted footage of him engaging in an impromptu, somewhat staredown with Holloway from his living room.
Max Holloway can’t fathom why Conor McGregor would make UFC comeback
Speaking on the potential Octagon return for McGregor – who suffered a fractured tibia back in July of last year in his trilogy rubber match against Poirier, Holloway questioned what would entice the former to make a return to the UFC following his recovery from injury.
“At the end of the day, I don’t blame him – why would he come back?” Max Holloway said on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani of a Conor McGregor return. “Everybody in the fight game is trying to get to that point where they can make enough (money) and live their life, and get out, and get ahead.”
“We’ll see what happens, you know. I think the (Charles) Oliveira one [fight] is way more funner (sic) – way more possible actually, to be honest,” Max Holloway said. “Funner-wise (sic) though I would say, the Conor fight, the Conor fight would be super fun.”
Despite Holloway’s theory on McGregor’s fighting future – or lack thereof, the Dubliner has been continually linked with a slew of potential opponents for a 2023 Octagon return, most recently in the form of a welterweight division outing against two-time title challenger, Jorge Masvidal.