Max Holloway confirms major career decision after suffering knockout loss to Ilia Topuria
The former UFC champion is preparing to make a big change.
Former UFC champion Max Holloway has announced a massive career change just days after being knocked out by featherweight champion Ilia Topuria.
At UFC 308 last month, Holloway hoped to regain his UFC featherweight title as he faced current champion Topuria at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.
The fight remained competitive through the early rounds but ultimately, Topuria found the perfect shot and won the fight via knockout in the third round.
And in the wake of the result, Holloway has now made a huge announcement about the future of his career.
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Speaking on his YouTube channel, the 32-year-old confessed that he felt that he may never fight in the featherweight division again, as he will instead change his focus on going up to the lightweight division.
“I think I’m done with 145 [lbs.]… We’re only getting older. I’ve done 33… No excuses, this cut was easy bro.
"Shoutout to my wife to help me make this cut really easy but it takes a toll cutting weight, period,” Holloway admitted
“Whatever weight you are… I had to give up ramen for my ’45 camp, so I’m done with that. I don’t ever wanna give up ramen again. 155 here we come and 155 is where I want to stay.
"This is a new chapter, this is where we start, this is where we begin… Never say never but I can honestly look you guys in the eyes and tell you guys, I’m probably not going back to 145."
If Holloway does decide to go up to lightweight, it would not be the first time that he fights in the weight class.
During his first fight at 155lbs, Holloway faced Dustin Poirier for the interim lightweight championship in 2019.
Four years later, he returned to the division and produced perhaps the greatest knockout in the history of the sport, finishing Justin Gaethje in the final second of his BMF title fight at UFC 300 this April.
Reflecting on his career at featherweight, Holloway added: “I loved what I did, I worked my way back, I clawed my way back up to the championship fight multiple times there.
"I was the champion, I defended at that weight, now it’s time to move on the next chapter and 155, there’s a bunch of fun fights that I cannot wait to take."
Topics: UFC, MMA, Max Holloway, Featherweight, Dustin Poirier, Justin Gaethje
Ben McCrum