Even after securing a hard-fought victory in the UFC 318 main event, Max Holloway kept his post-fight speech brief. ‘Blessed’ chose instead to hand the spotlight to his opponent in a show of respect. Max Holloway silenced the doubts in emphatic fashion, defeating Dustin Poirier and successfully defending his BMF title. Heading into the July 19 showdown, there were plenty of questions surrounding what was truly at stake for ‘Blessed’. However, by the time the final bell rang, he made one thing clear: he’s still very much a force to be reckoned with.
Though Holloway may have been disappointed to walk away without a Fight of the Night bonus. ‘Blessed’ wasted no time shifting focus to what’s next, making it crystal clear who he’s targeting for his next challenge. Max Holloway kept his post-fight interview at UFC 318 short and sincere, stepping aside to let Dustin Poirier have his well-deserved farewell inside the Octagon. Still, in just a few moments on the mic, ‘Blessed’ made every word count. On July 19, Max Holloway didn’t hold back as he issued a bold challenge to the UFC, calling out Ilia Topuria right there in the Octagon.
“There’s a lot of guys chasing this BMF belt—come find me,” Holloway declared. “I’ve got unfinished business with the champ, so UFC… the next move is yours.” As usual, UFC CEO Dana White stopped short of confirming any future matchup, but he did acknowledge that Max Holloway is “in a great position right now,”. But featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski is a bit concerned about Holloway if he takes on Topuria next. ‘The Count’ recently took to his YouTube channel to point out the changes ‘Blessed’ needs to make this time around. Volk feels Holloway cannot rely on his super-strong chin like he used to in his earlier days, as Topuria has already damaged that ability.
He said, “We haven’t seen Max drop like that. Uh, he was like getting hurt. I don’t know. I hate saying it, right? You know, talk about it, but I mean, is the chin exactly the same? I don’t know. I don’t know if I can say it is. So, but that’s what I mean if they fight again or you’re moving forward, Max just can’t rely on his chin like he used to. Got to be a bit more strategic. I think he got hit quite a bit in this one. I thought he would not get hit as much.” At the moment, the fans are excited about the possibility but are waiting for an official announcement. But what does Ilia Topuria feel about his old rival? Let us find out about it below.
Ilia Topuria reminds Max Holloway of who exactly is the ‘BMF’ in the UFC
Max Holloway’s victory over Dustin Poirier at UFC 318 has blown the doors wide open for a number of exciting possibilities. Not only did it mark his first win since falling to ‘El Matador,’ but it also came against a man who had previously defeated him twice. Add to that his current #4 ranking in the lightweight division, and it’s clear Holloway now sits at a crossroads rich with opportunity. After the UFC 318 event, White made it clear that the division has a lot of good fighters at the moment, which makes match-making even more interesting. He said, “The great thing about that [the lightweight] division is there’s so many incredible fights that you can do,”.
He further added, “You have Ilia, who’s the champion. You got him [Holloway] with the BMF belt. There’s a lot of things we can do.” Amidst all the chaos, the current lightweight champion shared a message for ‘Blessed’. Ilia Topuria isn’t buying into Max Holloway’s claim to the BMF crown. Taking to social media, the featherweight champ shared a photo of himself holding the BMF belt, subtly reminding Holloway of his victory at UFC 308. With just two words—“Still mine”—Topuria made it clear he hasn’t let go of that title in his own mind. On the other hand, Holloway is happy after seeing ‘El Matador’ in a new division.
During a recent interview with MMA Junkie, he said, “I was over the moon when he [Topuria] announced he was coming to 55′. And then, when I found out he got the title shot, I was like, ‘Oh, my gosh. Even the title shot with both of them. When they announced Oliveira and Topuria with the title shot, brother, I think I was the happiest man alive.” It’s no surprise that Max Holloway has his sights set on Ilia Topuria, considering the well-documented rivalry brewing between the two. Their history adds fuel to what could be a blockbuster showdown. But will the fight happen next? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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