There are several talent-rich collectives under the UFC banner but none that are currently hotter than the featherweight division.
Champion Jose Aldo’s dominant run atop the division put him on the map long ago, but over the past two years, the weight class has rounded out with serious talent to emerge as one of the most competitive collectives in the organization. In addition to the Brazilian phenom, fighters like Chad Mendes, Cub Swanson and Dennis Bermudez have put together lengthy winning streaks, while veterans the likes of Frankie Edgar, Ricardo Lamas and Nik Lentz have found second winds competing at a lighter weight class.
Irish star Conor McGregor‘s rise has also served to add a big chunk of spotlight to the 145-pound mix, and those major players have turned the division into one fight fans want to watch. Yet, anytime there is an established collective anchoring a weight class there are going to be fighters who are scrapping their way into that scene, and Max Holloway is certainly in the progress of doing so.
At just 22 years old, the scrappy Hawaiian has already notched nine Octagon appearances, with his 10th coming against Akira Corassani at Fight Night 53 this Saturday night in Stockholm, Sweden. Over that run, “Blessed” has won six of his nine showings; his three setbacks came against established upper-tier talent—Bermudez, McGregor and Dustin Poirier in his official UFC debut at UFC 143 back in 2012.
The Waianae, Hawaii-based fighter was just 20 years old when he stepped in on short notice to face “The Diamond,” and he’s shown nothing but improvement since. While his rise up the featherweight ranks hasn’t been free of bumps or detours, Holloway has battled through regardless of circumstance or outcome, and he is looking better than ever heading into his bout with Corassani in Sweden.
He will come into his next challenge carrying a three-fight winning streak, and this run has shown the continued growth of one of the featherweight division’s most talented young prospects. Holloway wants to break through into the next tier of the 145-pound scene, and he’s going to keep scrapping until that goal is accomplished.
“I feel like I’m already a veteran in this game but there is still so much to go,” Holloway told Bleacher Report. “I have to keep pushing. I have to keep my head level and feet grounded. And I have to keep moving forward. The best is yet to come. This is just the beginning and I don’t think I’ve even scratched the surface yet. At the same time, I’m growing as a person as well. I’m enjoying life and living every day in the here and now. I’m working hard to become the best fighter I can be and the best is definitely yet to come.
“It’s not my job to know where I fit into the featherweight division, but on the flip side, I’ll fight whoever they put in front of me at 145. I’m here to get better and keep improving. The UFC can call me up with a fight and I’ll keep knocking them down and continue to climb the ladder.”
For any prospect to eventually exchange that particular label in for a contender’s badge there has to a continued evolution and that is what Holloway is in the process of showing. The rangy striker established his willingness to go toe-to-toe very early on in the UFC, but it is going to take more than skills and grit to get him to the next level.
This is something he’s well aware of, and that is why Holloway invests countless hours honing his talents on the ground. He knows the featherweight division is loaded with fighters who prefer grappling over banging, and it’s a reality he has experienced firsthand. Of his three losses inside the Octagon, all of have come from his opponent besting him when the action hit the canvas.
Holloway is acutely aware he will have to be just as strong on the mat as he is on his feet, and that is a battle he is confident is won inside the gym.
“I believe I’m always improving and a lot of people forget I’m only 22,” Holloway said. “I have nothing but time. I’m just trying to be a complete mixed martial artist. Everyone talks about my striking, but that’s just because it is what I like to do. I’m in the gym constantly working on my wrestling, jiu-jitsu and all of the other factors that will make me a complete fighter. I work very hard towards that.”
While rounding out his skill set is still a work in progress, one key element Holloway has on his side is experience. Not only has he logged a solid number of fights on the sport’s biggest stage and squared off with a collection of top talent, but he’s also battled intangible circumstances as well. It can be easy for young fighters to become overwhelmed competing under the bright lights, and those nerves can amplify severely when a fighter on the rise is faced with additional elements like competing in the hostile territory of an opponent’s home country.
Even though McGregor doesn’t hail from Boston, Irish heritage is prominent in the New England city, and the crowd at Fight Night 26 showed “Notorious” tremendous support. Before Holloway ever stepped foot inside the cage, he had to battle the nerves that came from the crowd’s energy. Even though he ultimately would take a loss in the tilt, he emerged on the other side with the type of experience he knew would benefit him later in his career.
As it turns out, Holloway will be faced with similar circumstances for his next outing against Corassani on Saturday night. The Ultimate Fighter alum has competed numerous times on his native soil, and his bout against Holloway will mark the second time he’s done so under the UFC banner. The Renzo Gracie-trained fighter will have the raucous crowd on his side at Fight Night 53, but Holloway isn’t rattled in the slightest.
Holloway knows what to expect, and he is ready to spoil Corassani‘s homecoming on Saturday.
“It is what it is,” Holloway responded when asked about fighting Corassani on his native soil. “I know what I signed up for and these things are going to happen. It just so happens I’m in enemy territory for this fight, but I’m going to be fine. As long as I keep my head straight it’s going to be good because it’s only going to be me and him when those cage doors close. I got to experience it when I fought McGregor down in Boston. That was pretty crazy, but this isn’t my first rodeo. I already got my feet wet before and I’m excited to be here. I can’t wait to show my skills on Saturday night.”
Holloway is confident he will get the job done on Saturday, and if things roll in his favor against Corassani, he will be sitting on a four-fight winning streak. Finding success of that caliber in the UFC alone is quite the accomplishment, but putting a streak of success together in the increasingly competitive ranks of the featherweight division would be a flat out impressive accomplishment for the young Hawaiian.
It would also mean Holloway’s progression is coming in rapid fashion and constant improvement is the most crucial detail that signals his future in the 145-pound fold. He’s already shown enough skill to be considered one of the top prospects in the weight class, but if he’s going to convert that status into a certified top-10 status, Holloway has to not only keep winning…but displaying marked improvements in the process.
There is no doubting the world of MMA is moving quicker than it ever has before, and Holloway’s youth and natural love for the fight have the potential to become something special as his career progresses.
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
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