Tag: Max Holloway

UFC star Dustin Poirier makes pick for 2024 Knockout of the Year

Dustin Poirier is one of the UFC’s all-time knockout artists, so his opinion for 2024 Knockout of the Year carries weight.

[autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] knows a thing or two about knockouts, and his initial pick for 2024 Knockout of the Year may not be the popular opinion.

Poirier acknowledges that [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] (26-8 MMA, 22-8 UFC) pointing to the floor in the final seconds of his BMF title fight against Justin Gaethje and subsequently face-planting him at UFC 300 is a dramatic moment, but that wasn’t his first pick for the best knockout in 2024.

“The Diamond” thinks featherweight champion Ilia Topuria (16-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) becoming the first fighter to knock out Holloway, as he did at UFC 308 in October, tops it.

“For me personally, it’s got to be Topuria knocking out Max,” Poirier said on ESPN’s “Good Guy/Bad Guy” show with Daniel Cormier and Chael Sonnen. “Max is a legend, multiple-time world champion, one of the best guys to ever do it, and Topuria was the first man to put him on his ass and knock him out. That was super impressive for me.”

Poirier has fought Holloway twice in the past, most recently outlasting him in a five-round battle to claim the interim lightweight title in their rematch in April 2019. Poirier landed some bombs on Holloway, but wasn’t able to put him away.

Topuria finally shattering the record-setting durability run of Holloway is why he rates the knockout so highly.

“Just how elusive he is in there but also the guys he fought, he’s never been put down,” Poirier said of Holloway. “Going in there toe-to-toe with Gaethje, I mean the list goes on with me, with Conor (McGregor), with a bunch of guys.

“Taking big shots and always answering the bell, always getting back up, always showing up to the next round. Never really seen him rocked or stumble that much. And to get put down for the first time after 30-plus UFC fights is, to me, Knockout of the Year.”

Poirier (30-8 MMA, 22-7 UFC) himself had one of the best knockouts of the year when he sparked Benoit Saint Denis with a big right hook at UFC 299 in March. That would earn him a shot at lightweight champion Islam Makhachev at UFC 302, but Poirier fell short when he was submitted in Round 5.

Although Poirier initially made the case for Topuria, eventually Cormier convinced “The Diamond” that Holloway’s knockout of Gaethje deserves the No. 1 ranking.

“I do, me and the UFC are close on making it happen,” Poirier said on his next fight. “Hopefully, I’ll have some news for you guys soon. But going back to Knockout of the Year, can I switch my pick? Just now you talking about it, it brought me back.

“I was doing a viewing party in Connecticut, and it brought me back to that moment, and I got to say, I was more in awe that night than I was working ESPN with Chael, and Ilia did it. When Ilia did it, I was surprised. When Max did it, I was kind of in awe, blown away at the way he fell. Just everything combined just made it so special.”

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BMF champ Max Holloway would be honored to rematch ‘beast’ Charles Oliveira

Max Holloway is open to defending his BMF title against Charles Oliveira.

[autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] is open to defending his BMF title against [autotag]Charles Oliveira[/autotag].

Oliveira (34-10 MMA, 22-10 UFC) runs things back with Michael Chandler (23-8 MMA, 2-3 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC 309 (pay-per-view, ESPNews/Hulu/FX, ESPN+) co-headliner at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Upon hearing that Holloway will make a permanent move to lightweight, Oliveira told MMA Fighting that he’d be interested in facing him for the BMF title – and Holloway is more than happy to oblige.

“I heard Oliveira said he wanted to go for the BMF,” Holloway said on his YouTube channel. “That’s pretty cool. Oliveira, I know we have some history, and I know if that fight was ever offered to me, brother, it would be an honor to share the octagon with you, bro. You’re a beast, you’re an animal, and I can’t wait. I can’t wait for this fight. This fight (vs. Chandler) is huge.”

Holloway and Oliveira fought once before at featherweight in August 2015, with Holloway defeating “Do Bronx” by TKO less than two minutes into their fight due to injury. Holloway’s win over Oliveira was part of an impressive 13-fight winning streak, which resulted in “Blessed” capturing the UFC featherweight title.

Holloway is coming off a knockout loss to featherweight champion Ilia Topuria at UFC 308 in October. He announced his plans of moving back up to lightweight immediately after, where he recently knocked out Justin Gaethje to claim the BMF title at UFC 300 in April.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 309.

Max Holloway inspired by UFC champ Alex Pereira’s impressive rebound from knockout loss

Just like Alex Pereira did, Max Holloway hopes he can turn things around after getting knocked out in the octagon.

Just like [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] did, [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] hopes he can turn things around after getting knocked out in the octagon.

Former champion Holloway (26-8 MMA, 22-8 UFC) suffered his first-career knockout loss when he was stopped by featherweight champ Ilia Topuria (16-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) in the UFC 308 main event.

Holloway announced that he’ll be making a permanent move up to lightweight, and seeks new life in a weight class above – just like light heavyweight champion Pereira (12-2 MMA, 9-1 UFC) did when he lost his middleweight title to Israel Adesanya by knockout at UFC 287.

“155 bro, I cannot wait,” Holloway said during a KICK stream (h/t Championship Rounds). “All I know is, we saw Alex Pereira get finished, right? Next fight he fought for a No. 1 contender spot, (then he) fought for the title and he’s on a spectacular title run. Let’s mimic it. Let’s do it. I get inspiration in that. He’s a beast.”

After losing to Adesanya, Pereira moved up to 205 pounds and defeated ex-champ Jan Blachowicz at UFC 291 to become No. 1 contender. He won the vacant title by knocking out Jiri Prochazka, and has since defended his belt twice with knockouts of Jamahal Hill, and most recently Khalil Rountree at UFC 307 in October.

Prior to his loss to Topuria, Holloway landed in the No. 5 spot in the UFC’s lightweight rankings by scoring an iconic last-second knockout of Justin Gaethje to become BMF champion at UFC 300.

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Daniel Cormier explains being against Max Holloway facing Dustin Poirier in lightweight return

Daniel Cormier would like Max Holloway to ease back into lightweight rather than face “as crazy of a challenge” as Dustin Poirier.

[autotag]Daniel Cormier[/autotag] wants [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] to ease his way back into lightweight.

Holloway failed to regain the featherweight title when he was knocked out for the first time in his career by champion Ilia Topuria last month at UFC 308. He recently announced that he’ll be moving to lightweight, and both he and Dustin Poirier expressed interest in a trilogy bout next.

Prior to the Topuria loss, Holloway (26-7 MMA, 22-7 UFC) scored an iconic last-second knockout of former interim lightweight champion Justin Gaethje at UFC 300. However, Cormier wishes “Blessed” didn’t jump right back into the deep end at 155 pounds.

“He’s asking for Dustin Poirier. That would be absolutely fantastic, but is there a better way to introduce Max Holloway into the lightweight division?” Cormier said on “Good Guy/Bad Guy” with Chael Sonnen. “Do we put him in there with a Dustin for a third time? Or do we see what happens with Michael Chandler after he fights against Charles Oliveira? Or do we start to kind of look down the rankings a little bit and say, ‘Well, it would be fun to watch him fight a Rafael Fiziev. It would be fun to watch him fight a Benoit Saint Denis. It would be fun to watch him fight a Paddy Pimblett.’

“I know that might not be fun for Max, that might not be great for Max, but it would also give him an opportunity to work his way back into contention without being in there with these absolute killers. Personally, I would like to see Max Holloway not stand across from Dustin Poirier, Justin Gaethje. Alexander Volkanovski then Ilia Topuria, something not as crazy of a challenge.”

Holloway’s first stint at lightweight in the UFC ended in a lopsided decision loss to Poirier for the interim title in April 2019. But after finishing Gaethje to claim the BMF title in April, Holloway finds himself at No. 5 in the UFC lightweight rankings.

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UFC news reaction: Holloway moves to 155, Machado Garry vs. Buckley, de Randamie retires, more

On the latest episode of “Spinning Back Clique,” the panel reacts to Max Holloway moving back to 155, Ian Machado Garry vs. Joaquin Buckley booking, and more.

Last week’s MMA news cycle left plenty to digest.

From [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag]’s announcement of moving back up to lightweight, to the welterweight booking between [autotag]Ian Machado Garry[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Joaquin Buckley[/autotag], and the retirement of former UFC women’s featherweight champion [autotag]Germaine de Randamie[/autotag], a lot went down. Additionally, the UFC revealed the details for the new, upcoming season of “The Ultimate Fighter.”

All this news left many questions: Is Holloway making the right call by leaving featherweight? What’s at stake in the Garry Machado vs. Buckley matchup in Tampa, Fla.? What kind of legacy does de Randamie leave behind?

MMA Junkie’s Brian “Goze” Garcia, Nolan King, Danny Segura and host Gorgeous “George” discuss and react to the latest news in the world of MMA.

Watch their discussion in the video above, and don’t miss this week’s complete episode of “Spinning Back Clique” below on YouTube.

https://youtube.com/live/G_MvMlbjAX0

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Spinning Back Clique REPLAY: Brandon Moreno’s return, Belal Muhammad out of UFC 310, Max Holloway’s move

On “Spinning Back Clique,” the panel discusses Brandon Moreno’s return, Belal Muhammad’s UFC 310 withdrawal and much more.

Check out this week’s “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly live show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts.

This week’s panel of Brian “Goze” Garcia, Nolan King and Danny Segura will join host “Gorgeous” George Garcia live at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) to discuss and debate the following topics:

  • UFC Fight Night 246 went down Saturday in Canada and left us with two key results at men’s and women’s flyweight. In the main event, former champion [autotag]Brandon Moreno[/autotag] successfully returned to action after taking a break from the sport by dominating [autotag]Amir Albazi[/autotag] in a unanimous decision win. Also, [autotag]Erin Blanchfield[/autotag] outpointed [autotag]Rose Namajunas[/autotag] in a hard-fought decision to cement herself as a top title contender. What happens next? We discuss.
  • Bad news. UFC welterweight champion [autotag]Belal Muhammad[/autotag] suffered a foot injury and was forced out of his title bout against [autotag]Shavkat Rakhmonov[/autotag] in the main event of UFC 310. This leaves a big hole to fill since the bout was scheduled to headline the final pay-per-view of the year. Should the UFC implement an interim title? If so, who should fight for it? We react to Muhammad’s injury and how it impacts both UFC 310 and the welterweight division.  
  • A lot of news went down this past week, including fight bookings and retirements. Former UFC champion [autotag]Germaine de Randamie[/autotag] announced her retirement from the sport; the UFC booked a key welterweight bout between [autotag]Ian Machado Garry[/autotag] and [autotag]Joaquin Buckley[/autotag] for December; and featherweight all-time great [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] revealed he is moving back up to lightweight. We analyze those headlines and more.
  • We close out the show by previewing Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 247 event in Las Vegas. We break down the welterweight bout between [autotag]Neil Magny[/autotag] and rising contender [autotag]Carlos Prates[/autotag] headlining the card, along with other standout bouts.

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Max Holloway plans ‘new chapter’ full-time UFC lightweight move: ‘I’m done with 145’

Max Holloway is done with featherweight and is putting all his efforts toward a lightweight title run after his UFC 308 knockout loss.

[autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] has created a significant legacy for himself in the featherweight division, but it appears the final visual of him in the weight class he helped build will be a knockout loss to Ilia Topuria.

In the aftermath of his first stoppage loss due to strikes in the UFC 308 headliner this month, Holloway (26-7 MMA, 22-7 UFC) teased he was going to move up to the lightweight division permanently. He’s competed there twice under the UFC banner in the past, losing a thrilling decision to Dustin Poirier in 2019 then scoring an all-time knockout against Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 in April.

After taking time to reflect on the loss to Topuria and where it puts him in his career, Holloway has made the decision to say farewell to featherweight and focus all his efforts on making a run at 155 pounds.

“This is like my phoenix moment, from the ashes we’re reborn,” Holloway said Saturday on his YouTube channel. “We’re on to bigger, better stuff and walking through a new door and starting a new chapter. I’m a big believer in never say never, and the big question now is, ‘Was that your last fight at 145?’ You guys saw me touch upon it in the press conference, and I can honestly say I think I’m done with 145. Your boy is only getting older. I turn 33. This cut – no excuses. This cut was easy, bro. Shout out to my wife. They helped make this cut really easy, but it takes a tole cutting weight, period. No matter what weight you are.

“I had to give up ramen for my ’45 camps. So I’m done with that. I don’t ever want to give up ramen again. 155, here we come and 155 is where I want to stay. This is a new chapter. This is where we start. This is where we begin. I cannot wait. Like I said, never say never. But I can honestly look you guys in the eye and tell you guys I’m probably not ever going back to ’45. I love what I did. I did what I did. I did what I had to do there. I worked my way back, I clawed my back to the championship fight multiple times there. I was a champion. I defended at that weight. Now it’s time to move on to the next chapter, and 155 there’s a bunch of fun fights that I cannot wait to take.”

Holloway expressed excitement to dive into a physical transformation of moving up. He admitted he never was able to fully commit to it in his previous divisional appearances because he knew there were still featherweight fights in his future, but that’s no longer the case.

“When I do make the return it’s going to be at 155 and we’re there to stay,” Holloway said. “Even the version of myself you saw at 155 against Gaethje is not the full version. We had the idea of going back to ’45 because I wanted that world title. I can’t wait for the future. If you thought that version of myself against Gaethje at 300 was good – I can’t wait to get in the lab with my coaches and put some size on.”

Holloway said he is targeting a summer 2025 return to competition, and is open to all options. He could defend the BMF title, take marquee contender fight or go another direction. It’s too soon for Holloway to start naming opponents given his plans for time off, but he knows there will be plenty of solid possibilities on the table for his return.

“If I got to choose a timeline, International Fight Week,” Holloway said. “I would love to be back on the Ninth Island in Las Vegas. Huge card is International Fight Week. I don’t know who is going to be available at that time. With me being ranked at ’55 is great. Hopefully I can fight somebody in front of me, get a big win and who knows? Might be knocking on the door of a title fight at 155.”

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Michael Bisping: ‘Ship has sailed’ for Max Holloway at featherweight, plenty of fun fights at 155 pounds

Michael Bisping sees new life for Max Holloway at lightweight.

[autotag]Michael Bisping[/autotag] sees new life for [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] at lightweight.

Holloway (26-8 MMA, 22-8 UFC) failed to regain the featherweight title when he was knocked out by champion Ilia Topuria this past Saturday in the UFC 308 headliner. The loss to Topuria marked the first time Holloway was ever stopped by strikes in his career.

Prior to the Topuria loss, Holloway scored an iconic last-second knockout of Justin Gaethje to capture the BMF title at UFC 300. The win placed him No. 5 in the UFC’s lightweight rankings, and that’s where Bisping thinks Holloway should put all of his focus moving forward.

“The time is done. That ship has sailed: Move on,” Bisping said of Holloway’s featherweight days on his “Believe You Me” podcast. “You’re getting older. The weight cut’s tougher. You’ve had a couple of losses. You almost became the champion again. You looked incredible against Justin Gaethje – you took his shots, you knocked him out cold. He’s ranked No. (5) at lightweight. There’s a lot of fun fights for (Holloway) at 155 pounds.

“There’s Dan Hooker, there’s (Dustin) Poirier, there’s Gaethje, Charles Oliviera – which by the way, them three would all be rematches, which is wild. Arman Tsarukyan, he fights Islam (Makhachev) – there’s nothing but big fights for (Holloway) at 155 pounds. And given that he’s ranked No. 5 already, one, two fights, Max Holloway is trying to become a champion at 155 pounds. So it’s far from over.”

Holloway himself appears to have acknowledged that a move back up to lightweight is the best next step for him.

“I had the best 145 cut here,” Holloway said during the UFC 308 post-fight news conference. “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, and the names there – it looks really exciting to put my name in the mix.”

Holloway already had one crack at the lightweight title when he faced Dustin Poirier for the interim belt in April 2019. He lost the bout by unanimous decision.

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T.J. Dillashaw: Max Holloway ‘got too comfortable’ vs. Ilia Topuria at UFC 308

T.J. Dillashaw thinks Max Holloway wasn’t defensively responsible enough against Ilia Topuria at UFC 308.

[autotag]T.J. Dillashaw[/autotag] thinks [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] wasn’t defensively responsible enough against [autotag]Ilia Topuria[/autotag].

Topuria (16-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) retained his featherweight title in this past Saturday’s UFC 308 headliner by becoming the first fighter to knock out Holloway (26-8 MMA, 22-8 UFC). The power difference was evident early, but Holloway was starting to find success with his jab in Rounds 2 and 3 before Topuria landed a blistering left hook to sit him down.

Former UFC bantamweight champion Dillashaw credited Holloway for circling well in the first couple of rounds but thinks “Blessed” ultimately got too comfortable standing in front of Topuria and exchanging, which cost him.

“I think he (Holloway) got too comfortable in the second round,” Dillashaw said on the “JAXXON Podcast.” “He started piecing him (Topuria) up, right? He’s using his distance, he had a great jab, he’s hammering his jab, and Max is a volume guy.

“His volume’s working, he gets better and better as the fight goes on, and I think when it got into the third round, he got a little comfortable, and Topuria’s fast as f*ck. He did that slapping hook to get his hands away from his face with that overhand right and then it changed everything.”

Dillashaw heaped praise on Topuria’s boxing, calling him No. 1 the UFC’s ever had.

“He could be a boxer,” Dillashaw said of Topuria. “Legitimately I feel like he could be an actual boxer. I think he’s the best boxer that’s been in the UFC cage in my opinion, technique wise. …He makes you miss with like the littlest movements.

“He’s not dramatic. He keeps his weight underneath him. His feet are always perfectly underneath him, he can throw power at any time, and he makes you miss just by a little bit. He’s got his head motion just a little bit off the line. You throw a jab, he slips it.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 308.

Midway through UFC 308 main event, Dana White lamented no BMF status for Topuria-Holloway

Once the fight was proving to be a true banger, Dana White wished the BMF title would have been on the line, too, at UFC 308.

ABU DHABI – When the idea first was proposed that [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] could challenge for [autotag]Ilia Topuria[/autotag]’s featherweight title, Topuria had what seemed to be a natural question.

Would Holloway’s new BMF belt be on the line, too? It stood to reason, Topuria argued, that it should.

The MMA world now knows that it wasn’t part of the deal this past Saturday at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, where Topuria (16-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC), the UFC’s first champion from Spain, defended the featherweight belt with a stunner of a knockout in the third round. Former longtime champ Holloway (26-8 MMA, 22-8 UFC) this never had been knocked out.

Making things slightly more dramatic was the fact Topuria said he’d be the first to do it to Holloway, then backed it up – not necessarily against all odds, but certainly against many of them.

The competitive nature if the fight before Holloway had his lights turned out made it seem, in retrospect, that it could’ve been a BMF title fight like the one Holloway was in when he finished Justin Gaethje with one second left. That bit of instant legend is what got Holloway the title shot.

Even UFC CEO [autotag]Dana White[/autotag], after the fact, said it might have been good to have both belts contested.

“Topuria’s belt was on the line; Max was trying to take that,” White said after UFC 308 in explanation of why the promotion didn’t bring the BMF strap into the picture. “Halfway through the second round, I said, ‘Sh*t, we should have put the Bad Motherf*cker title up for this fight, too, because these guys are both (a BMF).'”

Holloway said after his loss that he’s likely to move to lightweight. That wouldn’t affect the BMF belt, though. It just may be a while before Holloway gets back on the horse, and when he does, it remains to be seen if it will be in the type of fight that would warrant the symbolic belt being up for grabs.

White was just as unsure what will happen with it.

“I don’t know what we’ll do with it yet, but Max still has it. Max holds the title, so we’ll see what happens,” he said.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 308.

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