Conor McGregor Sends Heartfelt Message to ‘True Champ’ Max Holloway

My thoughts and my respect are with 145lb World Champion Max ‘Blessed’ Holloway.

— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) July 5, 2018

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight and featherweight king Conor McGregor sent a heartfelt message to his former opponent after learning of Max Holloway’s hospitalization for reported concussion-like symptoms just days before the Hawaiian’s title defense at UFC 226.

“The Notorious” took to social media upon hearing the news, acknowledging Holloway as the true featherweight champion for the first time since McGregor relinquished the title:

Holloway and McGregor fought back in 2013, with the Irishman taking a unanimous decision victory. “Blessed” hasn’t lost a fight since then, and picked up UFC gold after McGregor left the division to pursue the lightweight title.

This marks the third time in a row now that Holloway has been forced out of a fight at the last minute. A foot injury forced him out of UFC 222, where he was set to defend the belt against Frankie Edgar, and his efforts to save UFC 223 when Tony Ferguson pulled out of his lightweight title fight against Khabib Nurmagomedov were thwarted by medical officials after they determined Holloway was cutting too much weight.

Meanwhile, McGregor hasn’t stepped foot into the Octagon since winning the lightweight strap from Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205, instead opting to box legend Floyd Mayweather Jr. last August.

McGregor has been dealing with legal issues stemming from his bus attack just days before UFC 223, and there’s no timeline on when either man will be set to return to action.