Max Holloway News

Tom Taylor - February 5, 2018

Over the weekend, UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway was forced out of his planned UFC 222 title defense opposite Frankie Edgar with a leg injury. Shortly after this disappointing twist made headlines, UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor, who owned the featherweight belt before Holloway, took a shot at the Hawaiian. McGregor took this shot on Instagram, sharing a photo from his 2013 decision win over Holloway.

Chris Taylor - February 3, 2018

Max Holloway issues first social media post following removal from UFC 222 main event! Earlier today terrible news shook the mixed martial arts world as ESPN’s Brett Okamoto announced that current UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway had suffered an injury and would no longer be able to compete at March’s UFC 222 pay-per-view event.

Chris Taylor - February 3, 2018

Conor McGregor takes a shot at Max Holloway following UFC 222 removal! Earlier today ESPN’s Brett Okamoto broke the unfortunate news that UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway had suffered an injury and was forced out of his scheduled UFC 222 title fight with Frankie Edgar.

Justin Golightly - February 3, 2018

There is a yin and a yang to everything. The universe must always balance itself. The MMA gods must have pulled out all the stops to make the three gigantic super fights expected for 2018. By booking Daniel Cormier and Stipe Miocic – and attempting to put together fights with Demetrious Johnson, TJ Dillashaw, Cris Cyborg and Amanda Nunes – it was inevitable something had to go. According to a breaking report, Max Holloway suffered and undisclosed injury that will take him out of his title defense against Frankie Edgar at UFC 222. “According to sources, featherweight champion Max Holloway has suffered an injury that will prevent him from defending his title against Frankie Edgar. The UFC has not officially pulled Holloway from the event, but is expected to do so shortly. The promotion is already in the process of exploring other options for its main event.” – as reported by Brett Okamoto via ESPN.

Drake Riggs - January 26, 2018

The UFC’s current undisputed Featherweight king, Max Holloway began his Mixed Martial Arts career six years ago at just the young age of nineteen years old. Before he started the journey to being one of the best MMA fighters in the world, he tried his hand at kickboxing. Check him out before the tattoos and MMA gloves! https://www.instagram.com/p/BebNzFNB8P1/?taken-by=blessedmma

Justin Golightly - January 25, 2018

We finally have it booked again. MMA fans everywhere wept when Frankie Edgar had to pull out of his UFC 218 fight against Max Holloway, but the tears soon dried up when we found out Jose Aldo would replace him. Now Holloway is going back and trying to finish what he and the former UFC lightweight champion started. UFC 222 will go down in March and Frankie Edgar will attempt to accomplish what was never able to do against Aldo in a fight that he knows is his toughest test to date. “I’m going to have to say yes, [Max Holloway is my toughest test in a title fight] based on what he’s done in his career at this point. With him being so young and people want to say I’m being old, so I think this is my toughest test but this is what I want. If you want to be the best, you have to go after the best guys. I do think I have that chip [on my shoulder of being too small]. I think you need to have a chip on your shoulder regardless, but the fact that people tell me I’m too small, or not strong enough, not tall enough and now I’m too old, that’s definitely motivating and I love proving people wrong. If I’m able to do that, that’s a notch in my hat.”

Justin Golightly - January 24, 2018

Being the champion of the UFC is more about just a gold strap, it’s about marketing power and promotional leverage. Max Holloway unified the titles and defended the undisputed featherweight title against Jose Aldo with back-to-back finishes. All the while, he was using the momentum gained from his win and being Rolling Stone’s Fighter of the Year for 2017 to get the UFC closer to finally putting on a Hawaii card. Thank to his efforts, it now looks closer than ever after what is reported by KHON to be a successful meeting between the Hawaiian Tourism Authority and the UFC just went down. “UFC Hawaii is not just about me. Hawaii is MMA. So many local martial artists that could be helped with a UFC event here. Instead of money leaving Hawaii for every event it’s time to bring it home. Thanks Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) and Aloha Stadium for fighting for Hawaii.” — Max Holloway yesterday via his Twitter.

Justin Golightly - January 23, 2018

This is not a drill #BlessedEra @moskova pic.twitter.com/X3EwaPDbt4 — Max Holloway (@BlessedMMA) January 23, 2018

Justin Golightly - January 13, 2018

No doubt Max Holloway is game for anything. When Frankie Edgar was forced to pull out of their fight at UFC 218, he was willing to step up to lightweight to stay on the card to fight Tony Ferguson or anyone else who was up for a scrap. If there was still some question about Holloway’s warrior mentality, he just came out and said he’d be willing to fight the scariest man in the next division up. If the chance ever comes, regardless of the weight class, Holloway would love to fight Khabib Nurmagomedov. “Oh yeah, for sure [I could see a fight with Khabib Nurmagomedov down the road]. I think Khabib is a beast and that’s the kind of guys you want to fight to cement your legacy. He’s over here making all the greats, all the top guys look average and I want to fight him. People keep telling me, ‘he’s gonna smash you and this and that,’ I’ve heard this before. I have nothing but respect for the guy but at the end of the day if you want to be the best, you have to beat the best.”

Justin Golightly - January 10, 2018

As soon as Max Holloway beat Jose Aldo once again, he jumped right back on the fight to bring the UFC to Hawaii. Just like the pressure fighter he is in the Octagon, he isn’t letting up at all. It looks like he’s finally chipping away at both sides because it looks like things are getting closer. As reported by Rob DeMello of KHON, the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) President George Szigeti will be meeting soon with the UFC in Las Vegas for a potential card at Aloha Stadium. Hawaii Tourism Authority President and CEO George Szigeti told me today that the HTA is planning to meet face to face with #UFC in Las Vegas “within the next month or two” to discuss possible UFC event at Aloha Stadium. #UFCHawaii @blessedMMA

Drake Riggs - January 9, 2018

The plan for UFC 218 wasn’t always for it to be headlined by a Max Holloway vs Jose Aldo rematch. Initially, it was Holloway set to defend for the first time against former UFC Lightweight champion and two time Featherweight title challenger, Frankie Edgar. Unfortunately, Edgar ended up breaking his orbital bone in training and had to be pulled from the fight just weeks prior. But now he’s ready to go and the pieces have fallen back together. UFC 222 on March 3 from Las Vegas will be the time and place, Edgar spoke with FloCombat today about the rebooking and how it felt when things fell apart.

Justin Golightly - January 9, 2018

Promote. Perform. Become The 🐐 in Career Mode. #EAUFC3 Champions Edition 👉 https://t.co/EOAhzJQISd pic.twitter.com/2ZSfNP6Qux — EA SPORTS UFC (@EASPORTSUFC) January 9, 2018

Russell Sai - January 8, 2018

On Monday, MMA Junkie reported that UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway was set to defend his title against former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar at UFC 222 in March. The official announcement from the UFC came later in the day confirming MMA Junkie’s report. From the UFC:

Russell Sai - January 8, 2018

It looks like UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway will return to defend his featherweight title at UFC 222, which takes place in Las Vegas, Nevada on March 3. According to a report by MMA Junkie’s Simon Samano, Holloway is set to take on former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar. MMA Junkie reported that a “person with knowledge of the situation” asked to remain anonymous with the UFC having yet to announce the fight.

Justin Golightly - December 26, 2017

It’s difficult to narrow down a clear-cut ‘Fighter of the Year’ for 2017. We’ve seen so many amazing things happen and were blindsided by curve ball after curve ball. It just epitomized how unpredictable this combat game is and that no one is safe, no matter how high the perch. If you’re opening up the discussion for candidates though, no question Holloway needs to be on it. After taking out former lightweight champion Anthony Pettis right at the end of 2016, he won the interim featherweight title. This year, he unified and defended it by beating Jose Aldo twice, something no one had ever done. It’s these accomplishments that factored into Rolling Stone awarding him with their 2017 Fighter of the Year award. “It’s surreal. When I found out I was like, ‘Holy sh-t. This is cool as sh-t.’ I’m not going to lie. There’s a bunch of fighters who could have been up for ‘Fighter of the Year’ – Robert Whittaker, Rose Namajunas, Demetrious Johnson. To be chosen, it’s in my nickname: I’m ‘Blessed.’ It’s been a crazy year. I got to fight the greatest of all-time in my weight division not once, but twice. I was watching this guy when I was 16 years old when I first started kickboxing. I wanted to fight [Jose] Aldo in a kickboxing match. A couple years later I came to MMA and wanted to fight him. 10 years later, I got to fight the man twice. It’s a lot of life goals I got to do. It’s hard to put in words.”

Justin Golightly - December 23, 2017

Back at UFC Fresno and UFC Winnipeg, there were some pivotal moments in the UFC’s featherweight division. Undefeated Brian Ortega came in cool, calm, and collected and it paid off. He finished Cub Swanson in the second round with a guillotine choke, making it so the UFC could no longer deny him a shot at gold. Meanwhile, Josh Emmett showed up short notice against the very game Ricardo Lamas, knocking him out in the first round and shocking the crowd. As the new king, don’t think Max Holloway wasn’t watching this unfold. He recently voiced his respect of their performances but was also quick to send out a warning. “I was impressed by the two wins by [Brian Ortega and Josh Emmett] – of course. Ortega finishes Cub – that’s impressive stuff. It’s always impressive when you finish someone. Finishing anybody in the top 10, even the top five when we’re talking about those two guys, is amazing. We’re the best fighters in the world and you get to finish them, that’s always cool to see. Me and Ortega are two young kids, so it should be fun whenever that happens. Josh Emmett came in and was able to shake it up real quick. I’m excited for the future. A lot of people are saying that one of those guys are going to give me a run. I can’t wait. I’m glad and I’m looking forward to the challenges. All these guys are cupcakes and there’s some new flavors, and I want my taste of them.”

Russell Ess - December 7, 2017

Many fans enjoy hearing Joe Rogan’s opinion on topics that go far beyond fighting and mixed martial arts. This is why the UFC commentator and comedian’s podcast is so popular. Speaking with Bellator heavyweight Justin Wren on his recent JRE MMA Show podcast episode, Rogan touched on UFC 218, which took place over the weekend in Detroit, Michigan. Rogan was extremely impressed with the wars put on with Yancy Medeiros vs. Alex Oliveira and Eddie Alvarez vs. Justin Gaethje. Rogan was also blown away by Francis Ngannou’s ferocious KO win over Alistair Overeem. Rogan then went over Max Holloway’s impressive performance against Jose Aldo in his first UFC featherweight title defense.

Justin Golightly - December 5, 2017

When Max Holloway told us this was the ‘Blessed Era’, he wasn’t just talking, everything he’s done up until this point has been an effort to prove it. How can you not respect this guy? He stacked up a ridiculous winning streak before culminating his journey by beating Jose Aldo for the undisputed featherweight title. After all of that, he turned around and beat him once again and has shown nothing but incredible respect. He’s the only person ever to beat Jose Aldo back-to-back, but that’s just a tiny excerpt in a long list of career achievements