Max Holloway thought he might be matched up with former UFC champion Jose Aldo for his next fight.
Or maybe another ex-champion in Frankie Edgar.
Instead, Holloway (15-3) will put his eight-fight win streak on the line this Saturday night at UFC 199 vs. Ricardo Lamas.
Coming off victories over Jeremy Stephens, Charles Oliveria and Cub Swanson, the 24-year-old Hawaiian only sees his contest with Lamas going one way.
“Max Holloway going out there, doing his thing, doing some cool shit and getting my hand raised after whatever rounds it is, I don’t care,” the fighter said, during a recent interview with Submission Radio. “I’m going out there – let him choose when he wants out. And when it’s all said and done, [I’m] getting my hand raised, raising that Hawaiian flag and going on from there.”
As for what might be next, Holloway is focused in on only Lamas for the time being. But, he’s still keeping tabs on the rest of the featherweight division.
“We’ll see what happens, and first things first, is Ricardo Lamas,” he said. “And all three of those fights get me excited. Anyone of them. They’re all great. The three of them are great guys, they’re all (at the) top of their division for a reason and that’s why I want to prove myself against them. We can go do that rematch with Conor (McGregor).
“You know, I thought I was gonna get Aldo, cause a lot of people wanted to see that happen. And then there’s something there with Hawaiians and Frankie. So all three of the match-ups are interesting and my head is focused on Ricardo right now. I gotta get the job done June 4th and then we start thinking ahead.”