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 OāMalley, 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 OāMalley, 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 OāMalley via Timbo Sugarshow podcast
OāMalley praised Holloway for taking the fight against Gaethje and the victory, which gave him several options. For OāMalley, having options, particularly as an elite contender or champion, was very nice. It would make sound financial decisions very easy. After all, for OāMalley, fighting is more about business than passion.
Against Ilia Topuria, OāMalley has animosity. As such, he had also pondered the possibility of Topuria defeating Holloway, making the Georgian the new BMF champion. Afterward, OāMalley revealed his plans to take the title from Topuria. Nevertheless, OāMalleyās priority now should be Merab Dvalishvili, the next challenger at bantamweight.
Sean OāMalley 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.
The fight and the knockout bagged an extra $600k in bonuses for Holloway. On the Timbo Sugarshow podcast, OāMalley 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 Hollowayās knockout which they didnāt do with OāMalley.
The UFC doing it for Holloway and OāMalley 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. OāMalley 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 āFunk Master.ā
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