After a four-year hiatus, the "Notorious" Conor McGregor is finally set to return to the Octagon—and he's aiming straight for a rematch with Max Holloway at UFC 329 on July 11th.

That's the word from Ariel Helwani, the 15-time MMA Journalist of the Year, who is putting his reputation on the line with this scoop. "I was the first person to tell you that Conor was coming back. I was the first person to tell you that it's gonna be Conor vs. Max," Helwani declared on his show. "I will never get wrong fight bookings and matchups. If you don't believe me, you're going to be proven wrong."

Helwani went on to say that the fight is "on the goal line" for the International Fight Week event in Las Vegas. "Something awful has to happen for this fight not to come to fruition on July 11. That is the plan. It's not quite 100%, but it's very close to 100%."

This comes after Helwani previously predicted that the McGregor vs. Holloway bout would be announced at UFC 328—a prediction that didn't pan out. UFC CEO Dana White acknowledged the delay but remained optimistic: "There's no deal done with Conor. I was just saying I'm confident. I was confident last year, too, but I'm way more confident this year."

The holdup? The business side of things. McGregor has made it clear that without pay-per-views, his current contract—which still has two fights remaining—is effectively void. The UFC would need to hammer out a new payment structure for the Irish superstar, who remains the biggest pay-per-view draw in the promotion's history.

"There's a formula to it," White explained. "McGregor's going to do just fine. It's based on, if you take the average of his pay-per-view buys, what they do, there's an equation for that—we've done it with a lot more guys than just McGregor."

As the sport's most bankable star, McGregor commands a premium that even legends like Jon Jones and Ronda Rousey didn't see during their primes. But according to Helwani—and confirmed by our sources—the pieces are falling into place. For fans who have been waiting since 2021 to see McGregor back in action, this rematch with Holloway could be the ultimate payoff. And for those looking to gear up for fight night, there's never been a better time to stock up on your favorite UFC-inspired apparel.