Off the back of his stunning knockout loss at UFC 308, Max Holloway has confirmed he will likely never return to his former featherweight stomping grounds, planning an extended run at the lightweight limit — beginning in July of next year.
Holloway, a former undisputed featherweight gold holder and the current symbolic BMF champion, most recently headlined UFC 308 at the end of last month in a grudge fight against the unbeaten, Ilia Topuria.
And suffering the first knockout loss of his decorated mixed martial arts career, Hawaiian fan-favorite, Holloway dropped a hellacious third round finish — snapping a three-fight winning run following his prior trilogy loss to fellow former champion, Alexander Volkanovski.
Max Holloway confirms plans for lightweight move next year
Winning symbolic BMF spoils back in April with a spectacular, highlight-reel knockout of former interim lightweight best, Justin Gaethje in his sophomore lightweight outing, Holloway has confirmed plans to return to 155lbs ahead of an extended run at the weight class.
“I’m done with 145,” Max Holloway said in a video posted on his official YouTube channel. “Your boy is only getting older. I turn 33 (in December). No excuses, this cut was easy, bro. Shout out to (nutritionist) Tyler Minton, shout out to my wife, they helped make this cut really easy, but it takes a toll cutting weight, period, at whatever weight you are.”
“…I’m probably not ever going back to ’45,” Max Holloway explained. “I love what I did. I did what I did. I did what I had to do there. I worked my way back, I clawed my back up to the championship fight multiple times there. I was a champion, I defended at that weight. Now it’s time to move on to the next chapter, and 155, there’s a bunch of fun fights that I cannot wait to take.”
And linked with a potential trilogy fight with another ex-interim champion in the form of two-fight foe, Dustin Poirier in a potential return to the lightweight limit, Holloway has his hopes set on a potential comeback as soon as International Fight Week — likely in July of next year.
“With me being ranked at ’55, it’s great,” Holloway explained. “Hopefully I can fight somebody in front of me,” Holloway said. “We get a big win, who knows? We might be knocking on another title fight at 155, at lightweight.”