Max Holloway Targets UFC Title Shot at 155 or 170 After 1st-Round McGregor TKO

Q: Could the crowded lightweight division force Holloway into a high-stakes waiting game for UFC gold?

Yes. The lightweight picture is crowded enough that Max Holloway could be pushed into a risky waiting game rather than walk straight into a title shot. Holloway has a strong case at 155 pounds. He is coming off a first-round TKO of Conor McGregor at UFC 329 and still owns a knockout win over Justin Gaethje from UFC 300, even if that fight was at 170. He is also one of the UFC’s biggest names, which keeps him commercially attractive for a title fight. But the division is jammed. Gaethje, now the lightweight champion, has indicated he does not want to fight again in 2026, which immediately slows the title lane. Behind him, Arman Tsarukyan remains a live contender and faces Mauricio Ruffy in the UFC 331 co-main event, with that fight expected to shape the next title queue. Tsarukyan himself has said nothing is guaranteed, underscoring how unsettled the contender order is. That leaves Holloway in an awkward spot. If he waits for Gaethje, he risks inactivity. If he waits for McGregor’s recovery, he could be out even longer. If he takes another contender fight, he protects momentum only if he wins; one loss could damage his title leverage. Welterweight offers even less immediate relief. Islam Makhachev already has more established challengers in Carlos Prates and Michael Morales, so Holloway is unlikely to be fast-tracked there. So Holloway’s best route is still lightweight, but the division’s traffic means timing, not merit alone, may decide whether he gets UFC gold next.

Q: Is Holloway using the McGregor fight as leverage to force the UFC into offering a championship bout?

Probably yes, at least in part. Holloway’s public stance looks like classic negotiating pressure: he is telling the UFC he has two valuable options. One is the McGregor trilogy, which is a proven money fight he says he would even wait a year to get. The other is an immediate title shot at lightweight or welterweight. By keeping both on the table, he raises his leverage rather than tying himself to one path. The timing helps that reading. Holloway is coming off a first-round TKO of McGregor at UFC 329, and he already owns a high-profile knockout of Justin Gaethje from UFC 300. That gives him both commercial momentum and a credible lightweight argument. His line that he would “sign the dotted line” for either a title shot or another McGregor fight sounds less like a firm demand than a signal to matchmakers that he expects a premium booking. At the same time, this does not look like a pure bluff. The reporting suggests Holloway is genuinely open to both outcomes. He has openly said he still wants the McGregor fight and is willing to wait for McGregor’s ACL recovery, which weakens the idea that he is using Conor only as a fake bargaining chip. If there is leverage play here, it is strongest at lightweight, not welterweight. A 155-pound title route is realistic given Holloway’s résumé and name value. At 170, Islam Makhachev already has more established contenders lined up, so Holloway’s title talk there appears far less likely to force the UFC’s hand.

Q: Will Holloway’s gamble on a McGregor trilogy backfire if the injured star never returns to the Octagon?

Yes—if Holloway actually sits on the sidelines for McGregor, it could backfire badly. McGregor is 38, just returned from a five-year absence, and now has a torn ACL plus meniscus damage after only 69 seconds at UFC 329. Dana White has said McGregor is likely out for a year, but combat-sports comebacks after repeated major leg injuries are never certain. The risk for Holloway is timing. He is coming off a marquee win over McGregor and still has real leverage in the title picture, especially at lightweight. He owns a knockout win over current lightweight champion Justin Gaethje, and that makes 155 his clearest path to a belt. If he waits too long for McGregor and the Irish star never returns, Holloway could lose momentum while the division moves on through names like Arman Tsarukyan and Mauricio Ruffy. At welterweight, the danger is even greater. That title route already looks crowded, with Islam Makhachev tied to more established contenders. Waiting there would likely leave Holloway stalled without a realistic near-term shot. The key detail is that Holloway is not presenting this as an all-or-nothing bet. He has publicly said he wants a title shot at lightweight or welterweight if the UFC offers one, and only then would he also take the McGregor trilogy. That flexibility protects him. So the gamble only really backfires if Holloway prioritizes McGregor over active title opportunities. If he keeps pushing for 155 gold while leaving the trilogy open, he minimizes the downside.

3 articles · Updated · Yahoo Sports · Aug 21

Max Holloway said he wants his next UFC fight to be a title shot, naming lightweight champion Justin Gaethje and welterweight champion Islam Makhachev as preferred opponents.
July’s first-round TKO of Conor McGregor at UFC 329 strengthened Holloway’s case, though he said he would still sign on for a third McGregor fight next year if the Irishman returns from a torn ACL.
155 lbs appears the more realistic path because Holloway owns a previous knockout win over Gaethje, even if Gaethje is expected to face the winner of Arman Tsarukyan vs. Mauricio Ruffy after his break.
170 lbs looks far less likely, with Makhachev already facing pressure to meet established welterweight contenders Carlos Prates and Michael Morales before Holloway enters that queue.