At UFC 318, Max Holloway successfully defended his BMF title for the very first time after winning said strap after a grueling five-round war at UFC 300 last year against Justin Gaethje. His opponent for the occasion was previous interim lightweight king Dustin Poirier, whom the Hawaiian had lost to on two separate occasions over the course of their UFC tenures. Denying “The Diamond” a third consecutive victory, Max Holloway bested the Louisianan by unanimous decision to not only send Poirier into retirement after a thrilling slugfest but also notch the first retention of his championship.
The triumph solidified Max Holloway as a legitimate contender in the lightweight category after making the decision to move up in weight following a devastating setback to once featherweight apex Ilia Topuria. Although he had already cemented his spot in the 155-lb top 10 after starching the aforementioned Gaethje, “Blessed” now has fully settled into his place as one of the best lightweights on the planet. But where exactly does Holloway fit into the title discussion in his new weight class?
Max Holloway Top Lightweight Now, but has Lost to Current Champ
With his popularity at an all time high now, Max Holloway could have built up enough momentum with his amazing win over Poirier to make his own case for contending for the belt. However, with past foe Topuria gaining the throne at UFC 317 with an emphatic victory over the established Charles Oliveira, the 33-year old may just have to procure one more in the winners’ circle before he can earn another shot at the Spaniard. To his credit, Holloway did give Topuria arguably the hardest test of his run at 145-lb.
Crossing paths for the first time at UFC 308 this past October, the BMF champion pushed “El Matador” the farthest out of all his UFC title bout opponents so far, with their contest reaching the third round. In all respects, both competitors kept it even on the feet, as the number of significant strikes landed were almost even at 79 to 75 in favor of Holloway. In the third stanza, though, the soon-to-be lightweight phenom cracked the seemingly unbreakable chin of Holloway, knocking down and knocking out the Hawaiian with a powerful left hook.
Could We See Max Holloway vs. Ilia Topuria II at 155?
For their second encounter, should they ever manage to meet again, it will be interesting to see how Holloway’s new lightweight frame can absorb the power punches of Topuria. After going the full 25 minute distance with Poirier, it is evident that the former featherweight gold standard still possesses a formidable gas tank even when fighting 10 pounds heavier. While a rematch between the two UFC titans may just take place further down the line, the lightweight upper echelon includes several notable names who could challenge Holloway for their own opportunity to lock horns with Topuria.
Nestled at No. 4 in the division, Max Holloway, if he doesn’t receive the next title shot, has a few entertaining scraps that could both electrify the fanbase and propel him into his first non-BMF 155-lb championship fight since his second tussle with Poirier back in 2019, the most likely of these pairings being against previous lightweight king Oliveira.
Sizing Up Potential Matchup Between Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira
On paper, the bout stands to play out as a striking clinic, with both athletes being counted amongst the best in the business in the standup department. Owning 12 stoppages by knockout across his 27 professional wins, Holloway also owns the UFC record for most significant strikes landed at 3,655.
Not one to shy away from ending a contest before the final horn as well, Oliveira also holds a notable track record of avoiding the judge’s scorecards. During his 15-year tenure in the promotion, the Brazilian has racked up 20 finishes, the most in UFC history.
What About Max Holloway vs. Arman Tsarukyan?
Another pivotal fight that may just end up punching Holloway’s ticket to a pay-per-view main event comes against the streaking European sensation Arman Tsarukyan. Last seen in the Octagon at UFC 300 last year, the Armenian juggernaut recorded a career-defining victory over Oliveira, defeating “Do Bronx” by unanimous decision. The triumph had already granted Tsarukyan his own chance to battle for the lightweight belt against then champion Islam Makhachev at UFC 311, but he had to pull out the day before the event due to injury.
