Max Holloway addresses concerns about his welterweight move to fight Conor McGregor

Max Holloway is not concerned about a size discrepancy on July 11.

The former UFC featherweight and BMF champion has been chosen as the opponent who will welcome Conor McGregor back to action this summer.

A few months after Holloway’s loss to Charles Oliveira at lightweight, ‘Blessed’ will move up to welterweight, where he will meet McGregor in a rematch that marks the Hawaiian’s divisional debut.

The Irishman has history at that weight, having defeated both Nate Diaz and Donald Cerrone there. While that has left some calling the stipulation an advantage for McGregor, Holloway is not worried.

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Max Holloway says ‘weight is just a number’ ahead of UFC 329

It’s been just two fights since Holloway challenged Ilia Topuria at UFC 308 for the featherweight title. McGregor, meanwhile, has not competed at 145 pounds since knocking out Jose Aldo 11 years ago.

And ‘The Notorious’ looks to have bulked up during his five-year layoff, which started after McGregor broke his leg against Dustin Poirier in July 2021.

The likes of fellow UFC 329 star Robert Whittaker think that McGregor’s potential advantage lies in his welterweight experience.

But during a recent video uploaded to his YouTube channel, Holloway said he had no hesitation accepting the fight at a weight he has yet to venture to.

“My thoughts on the fight being at 170 (pounds) was like, who cares?” Holloway said.

“Weight is just a number. Real gladiators back in the day, they didn’t walk around with a scale.

“You show up and you fight, and I’m a fighter,” he continued. “Open weight class, whatever weight class — I’m glad I get to share the Octagon with him.”

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Regardless of weight, Holloway will still be the favorite heading into International Fight Week in Las Vegas, largely down to his rival’s inactivity.

Since McGregor dominated Eddie Alvarez in 2016 to become the first simultaneous two-division UFC champion, he has fought just four times inside the Octagon and had his hand raised once.