Max Holloway is calling counterfeit on Ilia Topuria’s recently shared Baddest Motherf*cker (BMF) title.
The actual BMF titleholder, Holloway, won the strap in his last time out at Lightweight against the fearsome contender and now-former BMF champion, Justin Gaethje, at UFC 300 in April 2024 (watch highlights). However, confusion arose when the undisputed Featherweight champion, Topuria, recently posted a video of himself on Twitter with both titles.
Holloway, 32, came to the clear conclusion that “El Matador” went and purchased himself a replica. What is it they say? “For the ‘gram?”
— Ilia Topuria (@Topuriailia) August 23, 2024
“That was weird, bro. This guy actually bought one,” Holloway told The Mac Life. “That’s next level, bro. I’m like, how did he get it? He had to have bought it because there’s only a couple originals and the guys who won it have the originals so he had to have bought one.
“At the end of the day, he’s an odd dude,” he continued. “He’s an odd fella. Hey, whatever gets him going. Whatever confidence he needs. I want the best Ilia. Go buy a couple more BMF belts. Go buy a couple more UFC belts. Whatever you want to do. Just keep that same energy when it comes Oct. 26.”
It will be Topuria’s first title defense as the champion when he and the former champion, Holloway, collide in UFC 308’s main event next month (Sat., Oct. 26, 2024). Topuria, 27, scored an impressive second round knockout of the all-time great, Alexander Volkanovski, to claim the throne at UFC 298 in February 2024 (watch highlights).
While the Gaethje win extended Holloway’s overall winning streak to three (26-7), he’s won two straight at Featherweight over the likes of Arnold Allen and Chan Sung Jung.