Max Holloway doesn’t care that an interim tag is attached to his UFC 206 main event bout with Anthony Pettis.
The proud Hawaiian is just happy to be competing for UFC gold – something he has been dreaming about for years.
“I’m just blessed to have the opportunity to be here,” Holloway told MMAjunkie. “I always wanted to fight for a title, and I always wanted to be the main event of a pay-per-view. I can knock two off the list come Dec. 10, and I think the world is in for a treat.
“I thought I was going to get Pettis as the main event and move to five rounds. I didn’t think it was going to get elevated to a title shot. But the featherweight division was in murky waters, and now it’s super clear. I’ve been telling everybody this is God’s plan, not mine, and God’s plan is perfect. We’re here now, and it’s all about taking opportunities. This is an opportunity I need to take, and it’s the first step toward greatness.”
Holloway (16-3) has won 12 of his 15 Octagon bouts, including each of his last nine since a 2013 decision loss to Conor McGregor.
After McGregor won the UFC lightweight title, UFC officials removed his featherweight belt and gave it to Jose Aldo. That allowed them to create the interim title match next month between Holloway and Pettis, a former UFC lightweight champion himself.
