Yancy Medeiros believes things would have played out differently at UFC 236 if Max Holloway had 13 weeks to prepare for Dustin Poirier.
UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway decided to test himself at lightweight by challenging Dustin Poirier for the interim 155-pound title at UFC 236. While things did not go well for the Hawaiian, he earned massive praises from fans and fellow fighters.
But according to his training partner Yancy Medeiros, UFC 236 would have ended differently if Holloway had 13 weeks to prepare for Poirier.
“For Max, it was like a six-week camp, and I think he did great off a six-week camp,” Medeiros told MMA Junkie in a recent interview at the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas. “No excuses, I’m just saying Max having a longer camp? Way different results, I think.
“Not saying it would alter the win or the loss but if he had 13 weeks to train for Dustin. A lot more variables to take place.”
Nonetheless, Medeiros says 155-pounds is a viable weight class for Holloway to compete at.
“Everyone is like, ‘Max can eat punches,’” he said. “Well, yeah, I punch him! That’s my main sparring partner. I don’t try to hurt him, but yeah he’s not the champ for nothing, man. He’s tough, man. He’s my main sparring partner, and he don’t spar with light guys. He spars with all ’55s and up.
“So it’s definitely a natural weight class for him. He’s my main sparring partner, and I train with the champ every weekend.”
Holloway’s loss to Poirier snapped a 13-fight win streak over the course of six years. He now holds a record of 20-4 (with 12 wins by stoppage).