Max Holloway has always been and will always be a grinder. It’s what has made him the reigning featherweight champion and one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world today. And after experiencing a setback in his foray into the 155 lbs. division, Holloway plans on getting right back on the grind that will someday lead him to possessing lightweight gold.
Max Holloway had two opportunities to become a UFC lightweight champion. First was as a short-notice replacement for Tony Ferguson at UFC 223, but weight-cutting complications prevented Holloway from making it to the scale and thus the fight. Holloway did make it to UFC 236, however, where he battled Dustin Poirier for the interim lightweight championship. Poirier took home the victory via unanimous decision, sending Max Holloway back down to 145, where he intends to return to the champion’s grind before moving up once again to conquer more gold (Transcript via MMA Fighting):
“It’s in my history,” Holloway said in a UFC 240 media lunch scrum. “You guys watch my fights, you guys go back to all my fights, I’m a different guy every time and come July 27 you guys are going to see a different guy in there again. The kid that showed up in April, the guy you’re looking at, standing in front of him, I’d kill that kid. I’d body him. There’s no comparison and it happens, this sport or life, period, is like Chutes and Ladders. Sometimes you’ve got to slide down to climb up a bigger ladder.
“‘55 ain’t far off. That’s only 10 pounds, that’s all it is, is 10 pounds. We’ll get back there when we get back there. Hopefully it’s sooner rather than later and we’ll see what happens. If it takes a 10-fight win streak to fight for another belt up there, become the double champ, it takes a 10-fight streak. That’s what it is. I ain’t scared of no work and you guys all know that. Put my nose down and get to work I guess.”
Holloway will be getting back to work next weekend at UFC 240 when he looks to successfully defend his featherweight championship for the third time when he takes on Frankie Edgar.
Do you believe Max Holloway will ever become a double champion?
