With UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor possibly getting set to challenge Floyd Mayweather inside the boxing ring, interim featherweight champ Max Holloway wonders if “Mystic Mac” will ever return to mixed martial arts (MMA) competition.
With McGregor likely set to make a boat-load of cash once he steps into the squared circle against “Money”, Holloway thinks McGregor should be proud of his past achievements but doesn’t see him as being relevant as it pertains to the current 145-pound landscape:
“Would you guys come back to MMA after a fight like that?” Holloway asked.
“Conor should be proud,” he said. “He was the champ. He should hold his belt high. At the end of the day, he’s the 2015 champ. This is two years later, and he never once talked about defending the 145-pound belt ever. Not ever.
“He talked about defending the (lightweight belt) more than he talked about defending the (featherweight belt). It’s time to move on from this chapter of life, guys. We’re not going to tell Lebron (James), ‘Hey, Lebron, you can’t show your three rings – that was three years ago.’ No, be proud; you won it. But you’ve got to play again to hold this championship, and (McGregor) is not doing that.”
Holloway knows McGregor is not one to retain titles, as he is instead more focused on tackling the next goal. If McGregor ever would like to return to 145 pounds, however, Holloway is ready to avenge his last loss under the UFC banner to the Irishman:
“He’s always looking over the fence,” Holloway said of the UFC lightweight champ. “Looking for better stuff. We’re grateful for the fans he brought in, but at the end of the day, his fans love him for that – they’re always looking for the next big thing.
“My fans, they want to see me be the king, and they want to see me conquer, and they want to see me defend my throne, and that’s not what he is. I think people need to move on from that already, especially for the (145-pound division).
“If he wants to come back after his fight, (UFC President) Dana White knows my number. We can get it done. But after getting so many meals like that, you (wonder) if he’ll ever fight again.”
Holloway is set to unify his interim featherweight title with UFC featherweight champ Jose Aldo in the main event of UFC 212 on June 3rd from Brazil.
H/T MMA Junkie for the transcriptions
