Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway is hopeful of fighting for the 155-pound strap again in the future.
UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway hopes to challenge for the 155-pound title again after losing out on interim lightweight gold to Dustin Poirier early this year.
Holloway (20-4) had his 13-fight winning streak snapped by Poirier when he lost a unanimous decision to the “Diamond” at UFC 236 in April. The fight was Holloway’s debut at 155-pounds after spending his whole UFC career fighting at featherweight.
Now returning to 145-pounds to defend his belt against Frankie Edgar at UFC 240, Holloway spoke to MMA Fighting about his hopes of returning to lightweight.
“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.”
Despite his last fight being at lightweight, Holloway said he always planned to return to 145-pounds, and especially to fight Edgar given the matchup has been booked three times now and is yet to happen.
“I always wanted to and we’ve got unfinished business,” Holloway said. “There’s a lot of guys now coming up that are doing what they’re supposed to be doing and Frankie is a legend, he’s a legend. Third times a charm. It took two times to book this fight, I can’t wait.
“And I always said, champ is a champ and a king is a king of someone who defends their land, who defends their belt. That’s what true kings are, that’s what true kings do and I wanted to come back down.”
UFC 240 takes place next weekend, July 27th, at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Canada. The featherweight title fight between Holloway vs. Edgar will headline the card.