Off the back of his stunning knockout win at UFC 300, former featherweight champion, Max Holloway was touted as having his pick of the bunch of title fights in multiple divisions. And according to prior foe, Brian Ortega, the Hawaiian is already set up to challenge the unbeaten, Ilia Topuria next in a return to 145lbs.
Holloway, a former undisputed featherweight champion and current symbolic BMF championship holder, featured on the main card of UFC 300 earlier this month, felling Justin Gaethje with a spectacular buzzer-beating walk-off knockout in Las Vegas.
And as for Topuria, the Spaniard headlined UFC 298 back in February in Anaheim, landing the featherweight crown against common-opponent, Alexander Volkanovski – finishing the New South Wales technician with a brutal knockout win of his own.
Max Holloway tipped to face Ilia Topuria next
Touted to challenge the unbeaten finisher in his return to the featherweight limit, Holloway has been backed to have already nailed down a fight with Topuria by the above-mentioned, Ortega – who confirmed he would chase lightweight spoils after his fight with Diego Lopes at UFC 303 next weekend.
“I think that fight [Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway] is gonna be – I think that fight is already made,” Brian Ortega told SHAK MMA during a recent interview. “I heard that fight’s already made, let’s just say it that way. From what I heard – but I could be wrong – but I’m not usually wrong.”
Linked with a potential return at UFC 303 next weekend amid the exit of former opponent, Conor McGregor through a toe injury – Hawaiian star, Holloway reportedly turned down the bout as he remains on vacation.
The former featherweight champion was also the subject of what appears to be a cryptic call out from would-be event headliner, Michael Chandler – who staked his claim for a BMF title fight in the future.
Who wins in a future title outing: Ilia Topuria or Max Holloway?