Former UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway returns to action looking to bounce back from defeat and reclaim the 145-pound title.
Holloway (21-5 MMA, 17-5 UFC) takes on Alexander Volkanovski, who defeated him at UFC 245 last December to capture the featherweight title in Las Vegas. Now the pair are set to meet again in an eagerly-anticipated rematch, with the Hawaiian determined to reclaim UFC gold.
UFC 251 takes place at Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, on Saturday, July 11 (Sunday, July 12 locally) and will be streamed live on ESPN+ pay per view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.
Holloway was widely considered to be one of the greatest featherweight champions in UFC history heading into UFC 245, but Australia’s Volkanovski (21-1 MMA, 8-0 UFC) produced a superb performance to outpoint “Blessed” and capture the title at the T-Mobile Arena.
Now Holloway will look to return the favor and hand Volkanovski his first UFC loss as the pair face off for a second time in the co-main event on “Fight Island.” Ahead of his clash with Volkanovski on Saturday, we take a look at the five fights that have helped define Holloway’s UFC career so far.
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Cub Swanson at UFC on Fox 15 – Apr. 18, 2015
Holloway’s career was gathering serious momentum by the time he stepped into the octagon for his 12th UFC fight. The young Hawaiian, who had suffered early UFC career losses to Dustin Poirier, Dennis Bermudez and Conor McGregor, had found his consistency and was riding a five-fight win streak when he stepped into the octagon to take on perennial contender Cub Swanson in Newark, New Jersey. When he exited the cage, he did so with fans and pundits excited for just how far he might go in the sport.
Holloway showcased his striking skills to break down Swanson on the feet before eventually finishing the former WEC veteran in the final round to cap off arguably his most complete performance in the UFC to that point, as he finished his man with a guillotine choke with just over a minute of the fight remaining to announce himself as a rising star of the division.
Watch Max Holloway vs. Cub Swanson on UFC Fight Pass
Next up: Outgunning a gunslinger
Jeremy Stephens at UFC 194 – Dec. 12, 2015
Later in 2015 Holloway found himself in a showcase spot in the pay-per-view opener at the huge UFC 194: Aldo vs. McGregor event, where he faced the hardest-hitting contender in the featherweight division.
Jeremy Stephens had spectacularly finished Holloway’s former nemesis Bermudez in stunning fashion at UFC 189 earlier in the year, and was looking to build momentum on his way to the top of the featherweight division. But Holloway bit down on his mouthpiece and went toe-to-toe with “Lil’ Heathen” as he outstruck his one-time training partner en route to a unanimous decision victory.
Holloway expertly picked Stephens apart with his striking throughout the three-rounder at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, as he nullified his opponent’s power by feeding him a steady diet of strikes and smart takedown defense during a contest that showcased Holloways growing maturity as a fighter.
“Blessed” earned scores of 30-27, 30-27, 29-28 to put him within touching distance of the division’s top contenders. Then, after his victory over Ricardo Lamas at UFC 199, he landed a title fight.
Watch Max Holloway vs. Jeremy Stephens on UFC Fight Pass
Next up: Stealing the show against “Showtime”
Anthony Pettis at UFC 206 – Dec. 10, 2016
Holloway got his first shot at championship gold at UFC 206 and he didn’t waste his chance as he finished former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis to capture the interim featherweight title in Toronto.
Holloway extended his winning streak to 10 with a third-round TKO stoppage of “Showtime” after mixing up his offense brilliantly to overpower Pettis and claim the No. 1 contender spot at 145 pounds.
In a comprehensive performance, Holloway dropped Pettis with punches and chopped him to the ground with leg kicks, all while avoiding “Showtime’s” own striking attack as he hit top gear and put an exclamation point alongside his call for a shot at then-champ Jose Aldo.
“We’re trying to fight Aldo, so I thought I’d call him Waldo – Jose Waldo,” said Holloway after his win. “Hashtag Jose Waldo, and tell him (to) meet me in Brooklyn in February. Let’s get the real one!”
Watch Max Holloway vs. Anthony Pettis on UFC Fight Pass
Next up: Upgrading the gold
Jose Aldo at UFC 212 – Jun. 3, 2017
Holloway didn’t get his February title shot, but his championship opportunity eventually came in June as “Blessed” took on reigning champ Aldo in Rio and finished the Brazilian in front of his own fans to usher in a new era for the featherweight division.
The champion had the home-field advantage, and it seemed to take Holloway a couple of rounds to fully loosen up as he approached his shot at undisputed gold with a degree of tentativeness. But after eight minutes in the cage with Aldo, Holloway flipped the switch in the latter stages of Round 2, when he countered the Brazilian for his first major success in the fight.
That success sparked Holloway into life and the Hawaiian turned up the pace in Round 3. The interim champ let his hands fly and more often than not they found their target as he started to punish Aldo on the feet. He then dropped the Brazilian and, after a few ground strikes forced Aldo to turn his back on the Hawaiian, Holloway passed on the possible submission to continue raining shots down on the champion before referee John McCarthy waved off the fight.
It was a decisive finish and one that seemed to show Holloway briefly pause at the moment of the biggest opportunity of his career, before putting the pedal to the metal and achieving his destiny.
Watch Max Holloway vs. Jose Aldo on UFC Fight Pass
Next up: Peak performance
Brian Ortega at UFC 231 – Dec. 8, 2018
Holloway demolished Aldo in a rematch at UFC 218 to cement his status as the man to beat at the top of the featherweight division, and his next test saw him take on undefeated challenger Brian Ortega at UFC 231.
Many expected a closely-contested encounter, but Holloway hit peak form to utterly dominate the fight from start to finish as he boxed Ortega to a standstill in a blistering display of controlled MMA striking.
Despite Holloway operating on a completely different plain to the unbeaten Ortega, the challenger’s sheer toughness kept him in the fight until the cageside physicians mercifully intervened after the fourth round to end the fight and spare Ortega further punishment.
It was the most complete display of Holloway’s UFC career, and prompted suggestions that the Hawaiian had surpassed Aldo to become the greatest featherweight champion in UFC history.
However, Holloway’s run at the top ended a year later at the hands of Alexander Volkanovski, who outpointed him at UFC 245 last December.
Now Holloway will get the chance to avenge that defeat when he takes on Volkanovski in a featherweight title rematch at UFC 251 on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, on Saturday night.
