What's Behind Conor McGregor and Max Holloway's Showdown: Do They Really Dislike Each Other?

CONOR MCGREGOR will be back in the octagon TOMORROW NIGHT!

The Irishman returns from a FIVE-YEAR layoff early on Sunday morning in the main event of UFC 329 in Las Vegas, which you can watch LIVE ON TNT SPORTS & HBO MAX.

Conor McGregor makes his cage comeback against Max Holloway early on Sunday morning Credit: UFC Their Sin City showdown will be a rematch of the Boston brawl they had 13 years ago Credit: GETTY

, 37, will be fighting for the first time since breaking his left leg in his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier in July 2021.

He’ll also be fighting for the first time since being found .

‘The Notorious’ will be welcomed back to the cage by a familiar face.

The man tasked with welcoming Mystic Mac back to action is none other than fellow former featherweight champion Max Holloway.

Both men know each other extremely well.

The pair traded heavy leather in a Boston brawl 13 YEARS AGO when they were both fresh-faced featherweights.

But why are they fighting now?

SunSport is on hand to explain why the fan favourites are colliding in the UFC’s annual International Fight Week card.

Why are Conor McGregor and Max Holloway rematching one another?

A rematch between the pair has been talked about ever since Holloway emulated McGregor by becoming king of the featherweights in June 2017 with a TKO victory over Jose Aldo.

Verbal jabs have been thrown in interviews and on social media, although chatter of the pair rematching one another died down a few years ago.

Fan chatter of a potential rematch began when McGregor’s initial comeback opponent, Michael Chandler, was booked to fight on the White House card.

And SunSport understands negotiations over McGregor vs Holloway 2 began in the aftermath of the latter’s BMF title defeat to Charles Oliveira in March.

The victor of the contest was being lined up to welcome McGregor back to the cage.

Although it’s understood that the grapple-heavy approach Oliveira used to get his hands on the BMF actually put him out of the running to face McGregor.

Do Conor McGregor and Max Holloway hate each other?

McGregor has had plenty of beefs during his 13-year stint in the UFC.

But one with the universally-beloved Holloway has yet to materialise.

They pair have traded friendly verbal jabs on social media over the years but have had a healthy respect for each other’s achievements.

But that respect didn’t stop McGregor from exploding at the Hawaiian during a video call with Joe Rogan last month.

He raged: “No disrespect, Max, you’re not gonna lay a glove on me.

“And even if you do lay a glove on me, I’m gonna laugh in your face.

“It’s another world here against me, and it’s another world at this weight.

“I’m gonna come out of this bout unscathed and in all glory.”

Watch UFC 329: McGregor vs Holloway 2 exclusively live on TNT Sports Box Office via HBO Max, EE TV, Virgin Media TV, Prime Video and Sky.

For more information, go to tntsports.co.uk/boxoffice