Ex-McGregor Rival Slams Holloway Win As Empty Belt Title Fight

Seventy-five thousand fans packed into the new Las Vegas SuperDome on Saturday night, and yet Conor McGregor watched the main event and saw something different than everyone else. According to a tweet from Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) posted Wednesday, McGregor is now publicly laughing off the notion that Max Holloway’s win over Charles Oliveira last weekend was a legitimate BMF title fight.

McGregor’s comment—a simple laughing emoji paired with the claim that the bout “was NOT a real BMF”—has rippled through the MMA world. League sources confirm the Irishman has been stewing on this for days. Those close to the situation say McGregor believes the BMF belt was created as a promotional gimmick tied to his own persona, and that Holloway vs. Oliveira, while a violent war, didn’t carry the same weight because neither man was ever the face of the division the way McGregor was in his prime.

Let’s be clear about what happened Saturday: Holloway, the former featherweight king, moved up to lightweight and outlasted Oliveira over five rounds in a bout that had the crowd on its feet from the opening bell. It was bloody, tactical, and earned Holloway the vacant BMF strap. Oliveira, the former lightweight champion, pushed the pace with his signature pressure but couldn’t find the finish. The fight was real. The violence was real. But McGregor, who originated the BMF concept with his own trash talk and walk-off moments, is drawing a line in the sand.

The front office has been quietly monitoring McGregor’s reaction. UFC brass hasn’t issued a formal response, but those inside the matchmaking department tell me they expected this. McGregor has been angling for a return to relevance, and dismissing Holloway’s claim to the BMF throne is a clear signal. What remains uncertain is whether this leads to actual negotiations. McGregor hasn’t fought since his leg break in 2021, and his drug-testing status with USADA remains under review. But if he’s talking about the BMF belt, he’s talking about a fight.

What happens next likely depends on Holloway. The new BMF champion has already called out Ilia Topuria for a featherweight rematch. If Holloway stays at 155 pounds, McGregor’s camp could push for a bout later this year. For now, the BMF belt hangs in a strange limbo—defended in the cage, dismissed on social media.

Source: https://x.com/Home_of_Fight/status/2067213476758491384