Max Holloway is feeling rejuvenated and energized ahead of his lightweight return at UFC 318. In the highly anticipated main event, Holloway will be taking on Dustin Poirier in a trilogy bout, which will also serve as Blessed’s first ‘BMF’ title defense.
After his recent loss to Ilia Topuria in their featherweight title clash at UFC 308, Holloway decided to make a permanent move up to lightweight. The division isn’t unfamiliar territory for Blessed, as he previously earned a spectacular knockout win over Justin Gaethje at UFC 300, capturing the BMF title in the process.
“It feels great, man… Certain days when you go harder and being able to recover good with eating a little bit more protein, putting a little bit more supplements in me is much more better than just toughening it out,” Holloway said during his latest conversation with MMA Junkie. “At the end of the day, without that [extra 10-pound weight cut] in the back of my mind, it’s a great feeling.”
Max Holloway Vows to Avenge Losses to Dustin Poirier
Holloway vs. Poirier materialized after The Diamond requested a fellow legend as his final opponent, not a rising contender. His wish was granted, with Blessed even agreeing to put his ‘BMF’ title on the line.
Holloway and Poirier have fought twice before – once at featherweight and once at lightweight. The Diamond won both bouts: the first via first-round submission and the second by unanimous decision. However, Blessed doesn’t want their trilogy to end with him losing all three bouts, especially given his trilogy with Alexander Volkanovski, which ended with him going 0-3.
“I’m not trying to be o-3 in two trilogies, so that’s the main thing going through my mind… The main history I ain’t trying to make is being a man who fought two different trilogies and went 0-3,” Holloway told MMA Junkie. “[Poirier] is an animal, he’s a legend. I know it’s his last dance, but I gotta play the spoiler here. I need this one.”
Max Holloway Shuts Down Return to Featherweight
Holloway no longer has any interest in fighting at featherweight, regardless of what happens at UFC 318. Despite once ruling the division, Blessed is now fully committed to succeeding at lightweight.
Holloway’s final featherweight bout ended with him being knocked out by Topuria, which marked his first knockout loss. El Matador vacated his featherweight title after the bout and moved to lightweight, where he became champion at UFC 317.
Holloway told MMA Junkie that he wants to be removed from the UFC’s featherweight rankings. Despite being ranked No. 1, Blessed isn’t considering a back-up plan should he lose to Poirier. He pointed out that Topuria was removed after vacating his title, but he remains ranked despite his permanent move.
“I don’t know what you guys are thinking keeping me No.1 contender, that’s kind of ridiculous. I’m not going back to [featherweight]. I’m over it… The rankings, they’re all over the place, man. Even with Ilia [Topuria], they took him directly out of the damn [featherweight rankings] and they left me at No.1 contender, so I was like, what the hell is going on?”
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