Max Holloway cemented his status as one of the UFC’s all-time great featherweights last weekend with a thrilling fifth round knockout of Justin Gaethje to capture the promotion’s BMF championship at the milestone UFC 300 event. In this article we talk about Upcoming Clash- Details on Max Holloway’s Next Highly Anticipated UFC Fight.
Max Holloway Eyes McGregor Rematch After BMF Triumph
Riding high off the biggest win of his career, Holloway is already setting his sights on even bigger game for his next octagon appearance – a rematch nearly 10 years in the making with the UFC’s top box office superstar, Conor McGregor.
“It would be hard not to say with him finally getting announced that he’s actually fighting, Conor [McGregor] 2,” Holloway told Rob DeMello of KHON upon returning home to Hawaii after his victory. “That’s the hugest fight, I think.”
Holloway and McGregor first fought way back in 2013, when the brash Irishman was still an up-and-coming prospect making a name for himself. McGregor edged out the young Holloway via unanimous decision in that initial meeting, though he tore his ACL during the bout.
Of course, McGregor would go on to become the biggest PPV draw in MMA history over the next several years, headlining some of the highest selling events the UFC has ever promoted.
Max Holloway’s Phenomenal Rise:
Meanwhile, Holloway embarked on an epic 14-fight winning streak after the loss to McGregor that saw him capture featherweight gold with a TKO of Jose Aldo and establish himself as one of the world’s pound-for-pound best fighters.
Holloway’s success hit a snag when he ran into a brick wall named Alexander Volkanovski, losing three straight razor-close and controversial decisions to the Australian standout.
With the featherweight title now out of reach, Holloway set his sights on the BMF belt instead, putting on a vintage performance against Gaethje at UFC 300. His fifth round stoppage joins the likes of Jorge Masvidal’s flying knee KO of Ben Askren and Rose Namajunas’ shocking head kick of Zhang Weili among the greatest finishes ever seen in a UFC main event.
BMF Title Solidifies Max Holloway as UFC Star:
The BMF title cements Holloway as one of the biggest stars and top draws the UFC has to offer. And the 30-year-old Hawaiian sees no better dance partner for his next act than a rematch with McGregor.
McGregor himself has not fought since breaking his leg in a trilogy bout against Dustin Poirier in July 2021. But the UFC finally announced his highly anticipated return bout against Michael Chandler will headline UFC 303 on June 29.
With McGregor now booked, the stars could be aligning for a sequel showdown between him and Holloway later this year or in early 2024, depending on their respective recovery and preparation timelines.
A rematch would be years in the making, with both men taking vastly different career trajectories since first sharing the Octagon. But there is plenty of unfinished business and backstory that could sell the fight.
McGregor handed Holloway his last loss for over five years after their first fight. Holloway could be seeking revenge against the last man to defeat him as he continues cementing his legacy.
Meanwhile, McGregor always has an eye towards making history and breaking records. Handing the surging Holloway his first loss since 2016 would be another huge feather in his cap.
The storyline of McGregor’s rise coinciding with Holloway’s first career stumble, only for Holloway to rise to stardom himself in McGregor’s absence, writes itself.
Both men have had their share of ups and downs since first fighting. Now they stand as two of the UFC’s biggest stars and PPV headliners, making a rematch all the more monumental.
The first fight was a slow build towards the main event McGregor would become. The rematch could be an instant 1.5-2 million buy blockbuster if promoted right. Of course, Holloway isn’t looking past other threats in the featherweight division either.
Current 145lb king Alexander Volkanovski seems tied up with the Josh Emmett vs. Yair Rodriguez winner at the moment. But Holloway admits Ilia Topuria, who recently defeated Bryce Mitchell, could be next if he doesn’t land the McGregor bout.
“Legacy, ideal-wise, trying to get back to an undisputed title,” Holloway said. “Gotta go with [Ilia] Topuria, you know. He beat the man that I couldn’t help but figure out. We’ll see. We’re having a little bible verse beef on top of Twitter right now, so you know, life’s good. It’s looking like it’s gonna be him next.”
Of course, Holloway also needs time to recover after going to war against Gaethje. The all-action brawler left Holloway feeling some lingering effects.
“First things first, Justin Gaethje kicked like a horse, man,” Holloway said. “I can feel it today. We’re gonna recover.”
Who Holloway fights next remains to be seen. The BMF champ has options between chasing McGregor and his white whale Volkanovski. Not to mention settling his social media quarrel with the dangerous Topuria.
But after capturing the BMF belt at UFC 300 with one of the most memorable KOs in promotional history, Holloway finds himself in a prime position to call his shot for a massive fight next.
A McGregor rematch would be the ultimate legacy and popularity boosting bout to cap off an already Hall of Fame worthy career. But Holloway climbing back to the mountaintop to reclaim undisputed gold from Volkanovski or Topuria would only further cement his all-time great status.
Either way, Holloway remains must-see TV every time he steps foot in the Octagon. And his next appearance will be one of the most anticipated fights UFC matchmakers can put together. I sincerely hope you enjoyed reading this “Max Holloway’s Next Highly Anticipated UFC Fight"}” data-sheets-userformat=”{"2":14915,"3":{"1":0},"4":{"1":2,"2":16777215},"9":0,"12":0,"14":{"1":2,"2":855309},"15":"Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"","16":12}”>Upcoming Clash- Details on Max Holloway’s Next Highly Anticipated UFC Fight” article.
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