Former featherweight champion Max Holloway has never fought at welterweight before, but ahead of his 170lb fight with Conor McGregor at UFC 329 he’s not ruling out the possibility of sticking around in the division for another big fight.

“We’ll see what happens,” Holloway told MMA Junkie when asked about staying at welterweight. “Never say never. I’m not a guy that wants to jump to conclusions. We’ll do what we do and we’re going to figure it out after that. I have history with the champion at 155. A lot of people are talking that even though this fight is at 170, that the winner of our fight could go down and fight at ’55.

“I see a lot of people talking about the winner of this could even go and jump to see Islam (Makhachev). At the end of the day, I don’t know what’s going on. We’ll see.

“The UFC loves throwing curveballs. They love doing wild stuff. If you told me with my last fight I would be here fighting Conor McGregor in my next one, I would tell you you’re lying. So we’re here now, and life is good.”

McGregor will have an advantage next weekend in that he’s fought several times at 170lbs in the past, though it’s not always gone his way as he was submitted by Nate Diaz in first fight at the weight class.

However, he did narrowly win his rematch with Diaz by majority decision, before going on to beat another former lightweight Donald Cerrone by TKO in just 40 seconds at the start of 2020.

As for Holloway, he’s never been beyond lightweight, where he’s gone 2-2 over the years.

Holloway’s 155lb debut came back in 2019 when he challenged Dustin Poirier for the interim lightweight title and lost by unanimous decision.

He then retreated back to 145lbs and didn’t go back up until five years later when he defeated Justin Gaethje with a last second KO punch to win the symblic ‘BMF’ title.

Last year Holloway avenged his previous loss to Poirier at 155lbs with a unanimous decision victory, but last time out he lost the ‘BMF’ belt to Charles Oliveira by unanimous decision.