"Show up" - Max Holloway responds to Conor McGregor's verbal warfare heading into rematch at UFC 329

Conor McGregor and Max Holloway have both established themselves as bona fide legends in the combat sports realm over the course of their long and storied careers, respectively. 

McGregor, who's known for his fearsome verbal warfare, has taken multiple jibes at Holloway leading up to their highly anticipated matchup. Well, Holloway has now hit back at "The Notorious" one and urged the latter to simply show up to their fight at UFC 329. 

Conor McGregor is set to make his long-awaited MMA comeback against Max Holloway

Ireland's Conor McGregor is heralded as one of the biggest stars in all of sports. However, he hasn't competed frequently owing to his injury-induced hiatus since 2021 as well as his entrepreneurial and miscellaneous pursuits outside his sporting career. 

Meanwhile, Hawaii's Holloway has fought consistently. Many have juxtaposed McGregor's supposed ring rust with Holloway's abundance of MMA fights in recent years, concluding that the Irishman would face an uphill task against "Blessed" in their upcoming fight. 

Their first encounter was a featherweight matchup at UFC Fight Night: Shogun vs. Sonnen in 2013, which saw McGregor battle through a knee injury to defeat Holloway via unanimous decision. 

Presently, former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion McGregor is booked to take on ex-UFC featherweight titleholder and ex-BMF titlist Holloway in a welterweight matchup. The two rivals will headline UFC 329 in Las Vegas come Saturday, July 11. 

Max Holloway hits back at Conor McGregor's recent jibes before their rematch at UFC 329

During a recent conversation with Mike Bohn for MMA Junkie, Max Holloway fired back at Conor McGregor, who recently asserted that he "sonned" Holloway in their first clash and that it'd be deja vu in their rematch. 

Holloway seemingly disagreed with McGregor's take that the former is still the same fighter as he was in their 2013 encounter.

The American striking savant appeared to allude to the oft-discussed criticism that McGregor has faced in recent years, one of not competing frequently enough. Some fans and experts have even cast aspersions on the MMA icon's return, insinuating that they'll believe he's back when he actually makes the walk to the octagon. 

Holloway stated, "I know you're gonna bring it up, him saying that I'm not a different fighter -- blah, blah, blah. It is what it is. He can tell himself; keep telling himself whatever he needs to tell himself. I just need him to come in, to come and show up July 11, you know, and get in that octagon. And then we can find out if he's right or wrong." 

On one hand, Holloway implied that he wouldn't count McGregor out and is preparing for the best version of "Mystic Mac." On the other hand, he reaffirmed that he'd simply like McGregor to show up on fight night, so their rematch finally materializes. 

Holloway said, "At the end of the day, he gotta say what he gotta say, right? Whatever gets him to the octagon Saturday night... You can keep telling yourself that. Just, please, show up come Saturday night." 

 

Watch Max Holloway address Conor McGregor's trash talk and more below (*comments at the 3:10 and 8:15-minute marks of the video):