Max Holloway Moves to Lightweight Full-Time After UFC 308 Title Loss (Sports)
November 2, 2024
Max Holloway is one of the greatest featherweight (145 lbs) of all-time, and he recently announced that he is making a full-time move to the lightweight division (155 lbs).
Holloway won the interim featherweight title at UFC 206 with a TKO victory over Anthony Pettis in December 2016, and unified the title in June 1017 with a TKO victory over then-champion Jose Aldo. He would then make three title defenses against Jose Aldo, Brian Ortega, and Frankie Edgar before losing the title to Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 245 in December 2019. Holloway would end up losing two more featherweight title fights against Volkanovski, but remained relevant in the division by constantly beating other top ranked featherweights. Holloway had another featherweight title opportunity at UFC 308 a couple of weeks ago against Ilia Topuria, but he was stopped for the first time in his professional career in a knockout loss.
Holloway will turn 33 in December, and had no issues with his most recent weight cut for the Topuria fight, but mentioned that he will be looking forward to not having to not having to give up certain foods during fight camps for fights at lightweight.
Holloway has fought at lightweight in the past with an interim lightweight title fight decision loss against Dustin Poirier at UFC 236 in April 2019, and a ceremonial “BMF” championship fight knockout against Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 earlier this year in April.
There are a ton of big names in the lightweight division and Holloway will be looking to get a fight with the top contenders.