Max Holloway, the former UFC featherweight champion, is no stranger to trash talk. But his upcoming opponent, Ilia Topuria, seems to be taking it to a whole new level. It all started when the current champion declared he would challenge Holloway to meet him center-octagon at the start of their UFC 308 bout. It should sound familiar, as that is Holloway’s signature move.
Holloway recently sat down with MMA Fighting to discuss Topuria’s latest antics. And he had some choice words for the current champ. This interview comes less than a week before he fights for the title in Abu Dhabi.
“The belt is called the ‘Blessed Man Forever’ or what you guys want to call ‘the baddest mother effer. If the belt was the ‘DMF,’ the dumbest mother effer, then maybe I would get sucked into it. It’s far from that.”
Topuria’s trash talk didn’t stop at stealing moves, though. He claimed Max Holloway was forced into this fight, having preferred a bout with Michael Chandler. But Holloway’s response was a hearty laugh and a reminder of ‘El Matador’s’ own words when he said he wouldn’t fight without the BMF title on the line.
With just a few days left for UFC 308, Max Holloway isn’t letting Topuria’s words get to him. He’s taking it all in stride, recognizing that some fighters must pump themselves up before a big fight. He plans to allow his fists to do the talking in the fight!
Max Holloway Confirms His Knockdown Streak Loss Against Justin Gaethje
Remember UFC 300? That slugfest with Justin Gaethje was something else as ‘Blessed‘ pulled off a miracle knockout in the final second. But there’s more to the story. It turns out that the Hawaiian fighter touched the canvas. Gaethje managed to do what no one else could. He knocked Holloway down.
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Talking to Kevin Iole, Max Holloway revealed that he, in fact, got knocked down in the fight. The official scorecards didn’t count it as a knockdown, but Holloway’s setting the record straight. He’s owning up to it like a champ.
“I mean I got hit, and then I freaking touched the mat. And I guess in a knockdown whenever you get hit, your gloves will touch the ground after getting hit if you’re gloves touch the mat that’s considered a knockdown right? So by that saying yeah, you know I know they didn’t, they didn’t count it as one officially.”
It happened in the fourth round. Gaethje caught him with a nasty shot. Down went Max, but only for a split second, and he popped back up immediately. Max Holloway has always been known for his iron chin. Now fans know even iron can bend a little.
Also Read: Max Holloway Says Alex Pereira Has the 2024 Fighter of the Year Award “In the Bag”
