Max Holloway run through the 145-pound division, rising from prospect to contender to champion has been something to behold.
Holloway (21-4 MMA, 17-4 UFC) faced then UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo the first time at UFC 212, where he took on the “King of Rio” in his own backyard. Holding an interim title at the time, Holloway took Aldo out in the third round, unifying the featherweight titles in a “Fight of the Night” effort.
But the legend Aldo was awarded an instant rematch, and Holloway left no doubt when they faced off a second time, defeating Aldo once again via third-round TKO and cementing himself as one of the greatest featherweights of all time. Holloway then went on to hand Brian Ortega his first career loss, battering him over the course of four rounds, until the doctor’s had to intervene and stop the fight.
Despite subsequently failing in his attempt to move up in weight and capture the interim lightweight title, in a loss to Dustin Poirier, Holloway managed to bounce back with another featherweight title defense, defeating former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar at UFC 240 in July.
Holloway will be part of the UFC 245 championship triple header, when he takes on Alexander Volkanovski (20-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC) in the co-main event on Dec. 14. In the meantime, relive his second straight finish over Aldo, in the video above.
