Ilia Topuria makes his pick for Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway 2

Ilia Topuria is rooting for a successful return from Conor McGregor. The UFC lightweight champ believes the Irishman has the ability to get the job done in a rematch against Max Holloway at UFC 329, and hopes a McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) win could lead to a potential showdown later down the road. The fight takes place July 11 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, and although Topuria (17-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) doesn't think too highly of the matchup, he'll be watching.

"Wow, it's a sh*t fight," Topuria told ESPN Deportes in Spanish. "Conor, I think this is good for the sport. I personally think that he's good for the sport because many people want to see him fight, and want to see one of the real stars of the UFC.

I'm not kidding you, I consider Conor one of the biggest stars in the UFC, but it's one of those things that has its pros and cons. He's on a downward slide, and the only one who really stands to gain anything from this fight isn't UFC anymore, it's him. " McGregor hasn't fought since breaking his leg in a trilogy bout against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021, and hasn't won a bout since a first-round finish of Donald Cerrone at UFC 246 in January 2020.

Holloway (27-9 MMA, 23-9 UFC) is a striker who will likely keep the fight on the feet, which gives McGregor the best route to victory as well. Looking at the matchup, Topuria believes it's closer than some may believe, as oddsmakers have Holloway as a big favorite in opening lines. "It's going to be a stand-up fight, I think, purely striking," Topuria said.