Max Holloway has reacted for the first time to his controversial split decision loss to featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski.
Holloway seemed to have done enough to regain his 145lb belt at UFC 251. ‘Blessed’ looked much improved from his first fight against Volkanovski at UFC 245. He dropped his opponent in the opening two rounds and was able to land good shots throughout the fight. Unfortunately for him that wasn’t enough to convince two of the judges and he fell to a second straight loss to the Australian.
Holloway took to Twitter to address the “robbery” when arriving back in Vegas from his trip to Abu Dhabi, he wrote.
“Just landed in Vegas for another quarantine and was told some guys in the media are receiving threats for saying my fight was not a robbery. This is not ok. I appreciate everyone who wants to ride for me but that ain’t it.
“Life isn’t fair. It’s even more unfair for many many other people in the world than it will ever be for me. People are unemployed right now with no end in sight and it’s not their fault.”
“It is what it was. Nothing changed for me as a fighter. We proved our point. I still have my five belts at home. I’m 28 and healthy. Blessed era continues. Bless yourself.”
It is what it was. Nothing changed for me as a fighter. We proved our point. I still have my five belts at home. I'm 28 and healthy. Blessed era continues. Bless yourself
— Max Holloway (@BlessedMMA) July 13, 2020
Volkanovski spoke post-fight to say Holloway would not be getting another immediate rematch and will have to work his way back into contention.
“You never know,” Volkanovski said about fighting Holloway again. “Obviously, he’s got to go through the rankings system now and I don’t think the first fight was close. This was probably closer than the first fight but again, I got he job done. Doesn’t matter. I feel like I showed I’m the best fighter in the world even today. I believe I finished that chapter. I don’t know where he goes from here, I don’t know if he wants to move up or whatever. But I did what I needed to do.”
Do you think Max Holloway deserves another immediate rematch against Alexander Volkanovski?