Conor McGregor reveals who he really wants to fight next after Max Holloway defeat

Conor McGregor is already discussing the possibility of returning to the Octagon, even after his fight against Max Holloway ended abruptly.

The Irishman rematched with Holloway on the UFC 329 main event in the early hours of Sunday morning, but having worked hard to come back from his five-year layoff, his night ended in nightmare fashion.

McGregor's attempt at a roundhouse kick 69 seconds into the fight went wayward, and the contest was waved off after he fell badly to the canvas.

Cruelly for the 37-year-old, the mistake will have major ramifications for amending that defeat, with medical expert Dr Brian Stutterer admitting that "this position looks like the classic position that you will see with an ACL tear".

A torn ACL typically takes around six to nine months to heal, depending on the severity, though 'The Notorious' has already promised to get back in the ring for a 'final fight'.

"All things are possible for me because I am a believer! Surgery. Prehab. Return to martial arts practice. Go again. Final fight of the contract. Please God!" McGregor exclaimed in a statement after the loss in Las Vegas.

Dustin Poirier has already called out McGregor for a potential fourth fight, having beaten his rival twice, stating: “I’ll tell you what, whenever he is healed up, hit me up, Conor."

“I’ll come back and whip you again.

“I would come back to whip him again at 170 [pounds], [but] I don’t think he would.”

Poirier would need to drop down to his lowest weight to make that showdown possible, and it appears McGregor already has his mind set on a rematch with Holloway once he returns to full fitness.

"It has to be Holloway," the two-division champion said when asked whether he would fight Michael Chandler or Poirier by a fan on X.

It has to be Holloway.

— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) July 17, 2026

Holloway's victory over McGregor was arguably the easiest he will have, as he extended his record to 28 wins from 37 fights.

Jon Jones praises Conor McGregor's character after defeat

McGregor is one of the UFC's most divisive characters, and the way he returned to the ring certainly divided opinion among the fans.

READ MORE: Jon Jones has revealed that he has been diagnosed with an incurable medical condition just over a year after retiring from MMA.

While some critics pointed to his controversial behaviour outside of the sport as a major reason for the loss, others felt sympathy for a fighter whose return had ended in such painful fashion.

Jon Jones was certainly part of the latter group and has urged McGregor to not "give up" after this setback.

"When you are trying to resist the world, one of the steps is God asking you how bad you want it, and then you turn around and get injured, it’d be really easy to go back to the bar and have this rage and animosity, but so far from Conor I’m seeing he’s still praising God," the five-time UFC champion told the Ring Magazine.

“That shows me a lot about his character… I’ve lost family members, I’ve embarrassed myself, and every time something goes wrong I always give praise back to God...

"So far he is holding true, so that means a lot… Conor has already won… He’s a really great example of how humans can be so imperfect but so unique and special. I just hope he doesn’t give up and he lets his light shine.”