EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsAt the same time the first MMA card promoted by Most Valuable Promotions was reaching its crescendo, UFC CEO Dana White announced that the biggest star in UFC history, former two-weight champion Conor McGregor, is ready to come back to the Octagon after five years away. He'll take on fellow superstar Max Holloway in a welterweight bout on July 11 in Las Vegas. All of the sudden, some of the best-known MMA athletes from the past are back in the spotlight, making this a summer to keep your eyes on.ESPN MMA writers Brett Okamoto and Andreas Hale answer the biggest questions on the minds of MMA fans now that the Mack is back.Considering the first MVP MMA card on Saturday, the UFC Freedom Fights 250 at the White House and McGregor's return at International Fight Week, is the best summer of MMA in a decade?Without question, not even close. And to be fair to every other summer of the last decade, that's to be expected. With the White House card alone, you're talking about a one-of-one event. Then you add McGregor, Francis Ngannou and Ronda Rousey returning, arguably the two biggest stars of all time, of course no other summer is going to top that.With that in mind, it has been somewhat slim pickings in recent years. There is no question the UFC has been somewhat lacking in "the world stops and watches" moments lately. Part of that is just timing and matchmaking, and part of it speaks to a potential problem the sport has developed in terms of building stars and promoting breakthrough events. When I think about the best summer lineups of the past decade, all of the top candidates are the earlier ones. The 2020 summer was wild, due to the Fight Island/Covid-19 angle. There have been a few summers since that have, frankly, been pretty dull. But this sport is cyclical and no one can deny it at all -- this summer stands to be one of the best ever. -- OkamotoOf all the names posed as McGregor's opponent in his comeback fight, is Holloway the right option?Outside of a trilogy with Nate Diaz (Diaz and McGregor are 1-1 all-time), Holloway is undeniably the best choice. McGregor bested Holloway in his second UFC fight nearly 13 years ago. Holloway was 21 years old then, and the loss set him off on a tear in which he won his next 13 fights and was widely regarded as the best featherweight in the UFC. Given their history, their shared tenures at featherweight and lightweight and their status as fan-favorites who love to stand and bang, the script for one of the most-anticipated rematches in UFC history writes itself. -- HaleWhat are the chances McGregor doesn't make it to the Octagon? And if he can't fight, is that the end of his UFC run?One of my bold predictions at the beginning of 2026 was that McGregor would fight not once, but twice! I'm sticking by that. He's always a wild card because of his unpredictable lifestyle and the fact he doesn't need to fight to generate money, but he now has gone nearly five years without a fight purse. That's a big check he's not collecting.I have always believed he wants to fight; it's just a matter of whether his body and mind are disciplined and healthy enough to make it to an event. He does seem to be in a better place now than previously, and he's motivated to return. He doesn't want to start a camp and pull out of a fight for the second time in two years. I believe there is an 80% chance he'll fight in July, and I think my "twice this year" prediction is still in play. -- Okamoto30%. For what it's worth, McGregor appears to be hyper-focused on a return to fighting after five years away from the sport. He doesn't seem to have a lot of distractions going on, and at this point of his life, he needs this to materialize. No matter what he tries to sell you, McGregor is a fighter first and foremost. The itch needs to be scratched. However, at 37 years old, he's an injury risk waiting to happen. Nobody knows what kind of shape his body is in, especially when it comes to training. It feels like he'll do everything in his power to make sure this fight materializes because the clock is ticking on his fighting career, and it's almost sunset. -- Hale
