Max Holloway and Ilia Topuria are set to face each other next weekend at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi. Both fighters are going in strong, but the fight game rarely presents scenarios where everyone wins. UFC CEO Dana White finds himself in quite the emotional pickle. He recently confessed that the upcoming UFC 308 main event was not his favorite thing.
White opened up on the Outta Pocket podcast with RG III about his predicament. He called the matchup “terrible” – though not for the reasons fight fans might expect. It turns out the promoter’s distress stemmed from genuine affection for both fighters.
”This Topuria vs. Holloway fight is terrible because when you like both guys and they actually have to go in there, and somebody has to lose, it sucks. Max Holloway is one of the greatest ever to do it, one of the nicest dudes and he has the BMF belt, and he is a BMF and Topuria has been an absolute rock star. It’s going to be a fun fight. I hate to see somebody lose that fight.”
On one side stands Ilia Topuria, the fresh-faced champion who stormed the division by dethroning Alexander Volkanovski. On the other, there’s Max Holloway, the beloved Hawaiian who just added the BMF title to his collection through a last-second knockout that made fight fans collectively lose their minds at UFC 300.
Dana White’s confession adds an interesting layer to the upcoming Abu Dhabi showdown. His candid admission reveals the human side of fight promotion rarely seen in public. Between negotiating contracts and arranging fights, it’s easy to forget that these relationships often run deeper than business.
Max Holloway Denied Dana White’s Involvement In Forcing Him To Fight Ilia Topuria
‘Blessed’ has never been one to shy away from a fight. From moving up weight classes to accepting short-notice bouts, He has earned every bit of his BMF title through sheer audacity and heart. That’s why recent claims from featherweight champion Ilia Topuria raised more than a few eyebrows in the MMA community.
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Max Holloway couldn’t help but chuckle at Topuria’s assertions. He pointed out the irony in the situation as ‘El Matador’ had said he wouldn’t fight unless the BMF title was on the line. Holloway flipped the script on his upcoming opponent in a recent interview with MMA Fighting.
“I mean it’s just funny, you know. There’s an interview of him saying that he won’t fight me if the BMF title wasn’t on the line. And the last time I checked the BMF title is not on the line. …So if anybody got forced to fight, it looks like him, you know. It came out of his own mouth. So I guess he played himself on that.”
As UFC 308 approaches, this back-and-forth adds another layer of intrigue to an already compelling matchup. Topuria brings his undefeated record and championship gold, while Holloway carries his legendary status and fresh BMF credentials. Once the cage door closes, none of these claims about who needed forcing will matter. It’ll just be two of the best fighters in the world doing what they do best!
Also Read: “Dumbest Mother Effer” – Max Holloway Goes Off On Ilia Topuria’s Recent Bizzare Comments
