Max Holloway prefers to fight again than wait for UFC title bout

MANILA, Philippines – As Conor McGregor and Jose Aldo have different agendas for their next trips to the Octagon, Max Holloway is willing to take any fight to avoid a long layoff while waiting for a UFC featherweight title shot. 

Holloway, currently ranked No. 3 in the UFC featherweight division, owns the longest active winning streak in the promotion’s 145-pound weight class with 9 straight victories under his belt. 

In his 4-year UFC run, the 24-year-old Hawaiian standout has scored impressive triumphs over the likes of Will Chope, Akira Corassani, Cole Miller, Cub Swanson, Charles Oliveira, Jeremy Stephens, and Ricardo Lamas.

Holloway positioned himself as one of the possible options to vie for the gold-plated strap by outpointing Lamas in June, but it appears that two titleholders in his division are not interested in pursuing a cage meeting against him.

After settling the score with Nate Diaz in August, all signs are pointing towards McGregor taking a super-fight with newly-minted lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez. 

Meanwhile, Aldo has his sights on a match-up against former lightweight titlist Anthony Pettis rather than square off with Holloway, who has seemingly done more than enough to warrant a date with either champion.

Holloway, who is in the country to promote UFC Fight Night Manila 2 on October 15, aired his disappointment over both men’s respective preferences to face different opponents. 

“I want my title shot,” Holloway told Rappler. “You got a champion who’s doing soul-searching. We got an interim champion that has his running shoes, running away from fighting me. I don’t know what’s going on. I just want to fight.” 

According to Holloway, he has already proven that he is a worthy contender for the UFC featherweight championship. 

Holloway stressed that he is open to move up two weight classes higher than featherweight to keep himself busy while figuring out if the UFC will accede to his request to compete for the organization’s world title. 

“I can go up a weight class if they want to, even two weight classes. I can go fight at 170 pounds (welterweight),” he stated. “ There are also a lot of interesting fights at 155 pounds (lightweight). I don’t know if the UFC will let me do that.”

With McGregor and Aldo aiming for big money encounters, Holloway pointed out that cherry-picking an opponent is not his style as he is already itching to step back inside the Octagon. 

“There are a lot of interesting match-ups for me,” he asserted. “UFC can call me up. They just have to tell me when, where and what time I should be there. I don’t have to pick and choose fighters. As soon as they call me, they always get the same answer.” 

But if he will have it his way in penciling the match, Holloway has Aldo’s name in his head as the most logical fight to take.

“I want Jose Aldo. That’s the fight that does make sense. Jose Aldo is the guy with the belt since Conor is moving up in weight. I hope UFC gives me that fight,” he said. – Rappler.com