Max Holloway upset the odds in the featured matchup at UFC 300 against Justin Gaethje. As a sizeable underdog, Holloway outclassed Gaethje and eventually knocked him out. With the victory, Holloway has opened the door for super fights against two champions, Ilia Topuria and Islam Makhachev. Another champion, Sean O’Malley, has thrown his hat in the mix.
Nobody expected Holloway to win against Gaethje, let alone knock the Highlight out. However, after the victory, he has put himself in title contention in two divisions, particularly at featherweight. Sean O’Malley, the bantamweight champion, has featherweight title ambitions. As such, he pondered the possibility of a fight with Holloway, who eagerly wants to reclaim the featherweight title.
He [Max Holloway] said he wants to go to 45 beat Ilia [Topuria] and then move back up [to lightweight] but…I think there’s a chance that happens I do believe there’s a chance that happens.
Sean O’Malley via Timbo Sugarshow podcast
O’Malley praised Holloway for taking the fight against Gaethje and the victory, which gave him several options. For O’Malley, having options, particularly as an elite contender or champion, was very nice. It would make sound financial decisions very easy. After all, for O’Malley, fighting is more about business than passion.
Against Ilia Topuria, O’Malley has animosity. As such, he had also pondered the possibility of Topuria defeating Holloway, making the Georgian the new BMF champion. Afterward, O’Malley revealed his plans to take the title from Topuria. Nevertheless, O’Malley’s priority now should be Merab Dvalishvili, the next challenger at bantamweight.
Sean O’Malley claims he set the trend before Max Holloway
After Max Holloway knocked Justin Gaethje out cold, the UFC almost immediately put the knockout sequence on their official social media channels. The promotion does not usually do that, particularly for fights on the PPV card. However, the fight worth of a BMF title fight deserved it, according to Dana White.
Sean O’Malley claims he set the trend before Max Holloway (Image via: IMAGO)The fight and the knockout bagged an extra $600k in bonuses for Holloway. On the Timbo Sugarshow podcast, O’Malley claimed he set the trend before Holloway. After all, the UFC did the same for him when he TKOed Aljamain Sterling to become the UFC bantamweight champion at UFC 292. However, the UFC did customized versions of Holloway’s knockout which they didn’t do with O’Malley.
The UFC doing it for Holloway and O’Malley means they back the two superstars. Holloway has a huge fan base and might be one of the very few fighters who do not have haters. O’Malley also has a fan base, as evidenced by the support he got when he challenged Sterling at UFC 292 in Boston, a perceived home turf for the ‘Funk Master.’
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