The Dubliner fights for the first time since July 2021 in the early hours of Sunday morning Irish time
Conor McGregor and Max Holloway(Image: Getty Images)
]Conor McGregor is set to pocket a fortune from his UFC return bout against Max Holloway.
The Dubliner fights for the first time since July 2021 in the early hours of Sunday morning Irish time when he shares the octagon with Holloway, who he previously defeated by unanimous decision in 2013. Despite his five-year hiatus from the UFC and his many controversies away from the octagon in recent years, McGregor remains the promotion’s biggest star.
It is understood that the 37-year-old could earn as much as €26million from the bout after bonuses, which would be similar to what he pocketed from his last fight. That would reportedly be more than UFC stars Alex Pereira, Sean Strickland, Ciryl Gane, Justin Gaethje, Ilia Topuria, and Khamzat Chimaev earned combined for fighting on UFC 328 and the recent White House card.
McGregor used to boost his earnings from his share of PPV buys. However, that is no longer a thing in the UFC’s business model since they signed a €6.7billion streaming deal with Paramount last year.
The event will break the UFC’s gate record of $21.8 million and could surpass $25m. On negotiations with the UFC over his purse for fighting Holloway, McGregor said: “We met in the middle. We got a juicy one. Was it what my worth is? Probably not.
“Was it what they wanted to offer? Definitely not. I’m a fair operator. I love the Ultimate Fighting Championship and I’d love to continue. Let’s see how it goes.”
Holloway, fighting in his 35th UFC bout against McGregor, revealed ahead of the contest that it would be the best payday of his career. “Oh for sure” responded Holloway when asked if it would be his greatest ever payday before adding: “Everybody keeps talking about Conor McGregor this and that and fighting for money.
“Like I said, anyone who says they don’t fight for money they’re lying through their damn teeth. We’re prize fighters, money fighters, this is what we want.”
McGregor will have just one fight remaining on his contract following the Holloway bout, which is set to take place next April, according to speculation. And scenes in Las Vegas proved that he is as popular as ever in America despite being found civially liable for the assault of Nikita Hand in November 2024, who accused him of rape, in a Dublin hotel.
During the week, McGregor claimed his innocence when asked about the civil trial he lost. The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre condemned the comments, saying they were “straight out of the DARVO (Deny, Attack, and Reverse Victim and Offender) playbook”.
They added: “People in Ireland stand overwhelmingly with Nikita and with all victims and survivors of sexual violence and we hope they will see through these comments as well.” McGregor also launched into an anti-immigration rant at a media event ahead of the fight,
“What is taking place in Ireland is the saddest story in the west,” claimed McGregor. “It is a travesty what is taking place that our borders are wide open and that the most violent cultures are just hoisted upon our people in our rural towns and the crime that is taking place is showing it.
“If God wills it, I’ll do it and I’ll step in. It is what it is… the lies that are pushed to the people. It’s sad and it’s the saddest story in the west in my opinion as Ireland does not deserve this.
“Our history deserves a better future and I pray to our God that it is coming.” Sport Against Racism Ireland said the comments ‘warrant only contempt’.
“SARI’s ambition is to contribute towards Ireland being a safe and secure place for everyone, reflecting the view of the great majority of Irish people,” commented SARI CEO Perry Ogden. “The megaphonic tactics of those who wish to spread distrust and hate are no more than that; these comments warrant only contempt.”
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