Max Holloway lost via knockout for the first time in his career on Saturday night at the UFC 308 pay-per-view. But it has not affected his trademark gracefulness in the face of defeat. The 145-pound longstay gave props to Ilia Topuria after the pay-per-view headliner. Now he is ready to move on to bigger and better things.
Shortly after his third-round defeat to Topuria, Holloway took to the podium at the Etihad Arena to reflect. He made no excuses and was reveling in finding a groove. UFC 308 ESPN MMA post-fight desk analysts Chael Sonnen, coach Din Thomas, and Dustin Poirier also said as much. This wasn’t a case of “Bad Max”; Din and Poirier present that ‘El Matador’ just worked in better pockets and stayed short as a target.
Sometimes you get an highlight then sometimes you’re the highlight. This is why mma is the craziest sport in the world. Congrats to the El Matador. As to my family, friends and supporters, we good! The Blessed Express ain’t stopping here. We on our way to a new destination. Make sure you have your ticket, get excited. Thank you all for the love and support!
Max Holloway via X (@BlessedMMA)
From a baby-faced 19-year-old to his title crowning against Jose Aldo or his knockout for the BMF title at UFC 300 to this opportunity to get back gold, Holloway has done it all. Subsequently, the Team Gracie Technics fighter is the only one with stakes on undisputed, interim, and BMF straps. Much like Israel Adesanya, he too made history even in defeat.
Sometimes you get an highlight then sometimes you’re the highlight. This is why mma is the craziest sport in the world. Congrats to the El Matador. As to my family, friends and supporters, we good! The Blessed Express ain’t stopping here. We on our way to a new destination. Make… pic.twitter.com/R0HpYdxSCI
— Max Holloway (@BlessedMMA) October 27, 2024
Holloway’s record-setting run of 29 consecutive UFC competition fights went without an isometric knockdown. Holloway recorded 2,298 significant strikes absorbed—the most in UFC history. During the opening frames, he discharged some standalone feats of 200 strikes. But in the wake of defeat, it came as a surprise to no one that he’d be so classy.
Max Holloway reflects on UFC 308 title loss, teases permanent move to 155
Holloway (26-8 MMA, 22-8 UFC) won the “BMF” title at the 155-pound mark with a historic KO during the UFC 300 PPV before this. His buzzer-beater KO over hard hitter Justin Gaethje is still a KOTY contender for the 2024 season. Prime instigator and ESPN (@ESPNMMA) desk duty analyst Chael P. Sonnen strongly urged that this loss was no tinge of weakness from Holloway. Pundits and fan cliques agree.
When Holloway went to lightweight after five years, he cut properly with his wife looking over his dietary needs. The buffed-up Hawaain proved what he can do at the scale limit. A dropdown to 145 had its issue, but the fighter had his best cut in years. He is now 0-3 to former UFC top pound-for-pound and featherweight kingpin Alexander Volkanovski and on a recent title loss to current champ Ilia Topuria.
Volk and Topuria are posing to have a pay-per-view title rematch after this. After quite a few attempts, and with UFC 308 in the books, Holloway is separating the stagger of the moment from his analysis. He is now eyeing a move back to the 155 limits again.
It felt good showing off my hands. I was landing…We’ll see what happens. I mean, 155 looks really good right now. … Like I said, I had the best 145 cut here. But what else is there to do? I had a couple times to reclaim it. New guys coming up. Yeah, that’d be fun. But I think 155 looks more fun, fighting more, the caliber, everyone there
Max Holloway during UFC 308 pay-per-view post-fight backstage interview
Holloway said his featherweight cut was one of his best, but a move to lightweight could be in order. Saturday’s failed title bid was his fourth loss in a row in a featherweight title fight. Holloway is tempted to make a better mark at the 155-pound limit. The BMF silver belt also needs guarding.
