Max Holloway has been scheduled to compete twice in 2018, and both times he fell short of making it to competition. Max Holloway will now look to make his 2018 debut headining UFC 231 in Toronto next Saturday against the opponent he was originally scheduled to face in July at UFC 227, Brian Ortega. Unfortunately, Holloway was pulled from the card the week of the event due to circumstances that remain a mystery to this day:
“We’ve got an ongoing investigation, so I’ve been told not to comment on everything yet,” Holloway said in an ESPN interview this week. “The UFC and Toronto commission has my medicals and said we’re good to go, so I ain’t worried about it. People are going to ask and be concerned, and I love people for that.
“That fight week in July, something went wrong after my first meal about eight days out. We gave it a couple days, but it just got worse. I hadn’t even started cutting weight. I was actually eating 2,500 calories a day. My kidneys showed it wasn’t related to weight cutting — and if it was, I’m pretty sure the UFC would restrict me. And the UFC doctor said my scans showed it wasn’t a concussion.
“My team actually did a [toxicology] screen and, hey, Vegas is a crazy place. That’s all I can really say about it right now.”
“It is what it is,” Holloway continued. “I show up to fight every time. If we didn’t have commissions, I’d be fighting like the gladiator days. If that’s the way he’s got to push himself through camp, that’s cool. Just get ready to see Max Holloway across the cage, because that’s who’s showing up.
The reigning featherweight champion would then alleviate the concerns of fans who fear that they will be left without the highly anticipated clash between himself and the undefeated Brian Ortega:
“We’re going to make it, man,” Holloway assured. “No ‘knock on wood’ or anything like that. I’m blessed. Things have been unfortunate this year, but I’m in a good place right now. I can’t put into words the energy we have, everything is great. I can’t wait for fight week. It’s been way too long.”
Are you confident we will finally see Max Holloway vs. Brian Ortega at UFC 231?
