Max Holloway, a true fan favorite in the UFC, recently received a surprise gift from the Toronto Blue Jays. He’s scheduled to headline UFC 318 against Dustin Poirier in a highly anticipated trilogy fight.
Holloway has formed strong connections with certain cities throughout his career, and Toronto holds a special place in his heart. Canada as a whole has been the site of some of his high-profile fights and memorable performances.
While speaking with Sportsnet’s Aaron Bronsteter, Holloway was presented with a special gift from the Blue Jays. He said that he previously interviewed shortstop Bo Bichette and revealed that he is a big fan of Blessed.
Holloway was gifted a custom #10 Blue Jays jersey, which is a reference to his nickname for Toronto. He expressed his gratitude to the MLB franchise and explained the story behind his nickname for the city.
“Shout out Bo Bichette. The tenth island, that’s why [the #10 jersey],” Holloway said. “There’s eight Hawaiian Islands. Vegas is the ninth Hawaiian island. When we went to Toronto, you guys showed me so much love, we made it the tenth [island]. I went back. I didn’t do it once, I had to go back twice.”
How Many Times has Max Holloway Fought in Toronto?
Holloway has fought twice in Toronto, headlining UFC 206 and UFC 231 at Scotiabank Arena.
At UFC 206,Holloway fought Anthony Pettis for the interim featherweight title. The winner of the fight would go on to fight Jose Aldo in a title unification bout.
Pettis missed weight and became ineligible to win the interim title, adding more pressure on Holloway to perform. Blessed delivered, securing a dominant TKO win after finishing the former lightweight champion with strikes in the 3rd round.
Two years later, Holloway returned to Toronto to defend his undisputed featherweight title against Brian Ortega at UFC 231. At the time, Ortega entered with an unbeaten 14-0-1 record and carried plenty of momentum after knocking out Frankie Edgar.
Holloway put on an incredible performance that saw him overwhelm Ortega with his high volume strikes and relentless pace. He secured a 4th round TKO via doctor’s stoppage, marking his 2nd successful featherweight title defense.
Max Holloway is unbeaten in Canada
Holloway has never tasted defeat in Canada. The BMF title holder is 4-0, which is another reason why he has fond memories.
In addition to his bouts in Toronto, Holloway also fought in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and Edmonton, Alberta, respectively. His first Canadian bout came in 2015, when he fought Charles Oliveira in a UFC Fight Night headliner.
The bout ended early after Oliveira suffered a rare esophagus injury, giving Holloway a 1st round TKO win.
In 2019, Holloway returned to Canada to face Edgar in the main event of UFC 240 in Edmonton. This marked his return to featherweight after losing to Poirier in a failed attempt at becoming interim lightweight champion.
He reminded the MMA world that he was still a force to be reckoned with. Despite his setback at lightweight, Holloway secured a dominant unanimous decision win. It marked his 3rd and final successful featherweight title defense.
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