Max Holloway, who is set to fight Justin Gaethje in a lightweight bout at UFC 300, has expressed his desire to challenge UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria, according to his manager Tim Simpson.
Max Holloway is eyeing UFC featherweight champ Ilia Topuria. He’s itching for a piece of the action. It’s been a while since Holloway’s last featherweight gold challenge, almost two years to be exact. His last championship bout? UFC 276 in July 2022. He lost to Alexander Volkanovski for the third time.
This Saturday, at UFC 300, Holloway has a shot at the “BMF” belt. He’s up against Justin Gaethje in a lightweight bout. But, he’s not done with the 145-pound division. Not by a long shot. Especially if Topuria is the one greeting him.
Holloway’s manager, Tim Simpson, spilled the beans on The MMA Hour. “He really wants to fight Topuria,” Simpson revealed. “He feels like he’s going to whoop him. That’s Max’s words.”
Topuria? He’s been on a roll since his UFC debut in 2020. Undefeated and making waves. His octagon career started with a bang, a 7-0 start. He knocked out Volkanovski in the second round at UFC 298 this past February. That win has echoed around the world. Topuria is now a celebrated figure in his native Georgia and his current home, Spain.
Holloway? He’s been busy too. He’s defeated ranked opponents Chan Sung Jung and Arnold Allen in his last two fights. But, he’s puzzled. Why was Topuria able to leapfrog him in the contender line? Holloway felt there was no guarantee of a rematch with Topuria and Volkanovski. So, he shifted his focus to Gaethje and the BMF title.
Simpson spoke about Holloway’s decision. “Max has spoken on it,” he said. “There’s the assumption with a long-reigning champion that an automatic rematch is there. There’s so much precedent for that. Kamaru [Usman] got it against Leon [Edwards]. Anderson Silva got it against Chris Weidman. [Valentina] Shevchenko got it. If you’ve been a champ for five-plus, even multiple defenses, highly likely you’re getting a shot at redemption. So while not a foregone conclusion, you’d be foolish to not assume that Volk was going to get a rematch. So you wait for what? You wait to wait.”
Simpson added, “I don’t think there was any guarantee that Max would have got another fight with Volk. So it’s possible, but again, do you take advantage of this opportunity or say, ‘Do I get the fourth fight? Can they sell that if someone else is going to do it? And then if Topuria wins, is there a rematch?’ There was just too much to be left in a void, and sure, if there was no other good option, like, ‘Hey, fight another person at ‘45 for normal pay or whatever,’ maybe then you think, let’s wait and see. [But] you get this massive event, massive opportunity? This is a life-changer for Max, honestly.”
If Holloway beats Gaethje, he’ll be spoilt for choice. Three straight wins, a long list of achievements, and a horde of “Blessed” fans. Holloway could pick his next opponent if he wins at UFC 300.
Holloway’s manager has high hopes. He expects to book his fighter in a title bout next, regardless of the division. “I think you win, you become the No. 1 contender in two weight classes,” Simpson said. “It’s massive.”