MMA Fighting - UFC 308 Timeline: Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway

Episode Date: October 23, 2024

Before Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway battle at UFC 308, check out the roads each fighter took to the UFC featherweight championship headliner. Subscribe to MMA Fighting Check out our full video catalog Like MMA Fighting on Facebook Follow on Twitter Read More: http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When I got a great deal on a great gift at Winners, I started wondering, could I get fabulous gifts for everyone on my list? Like this designer fragrance for my daughter. At just $39.99, how could I resist? This luxurious will throw for my sister. This gold watch for my partner? A wooden puzzle for my niece? Leather gloves for my boss?

Ooh, European chocolate for the crossing guard? At these prices, could I find something for everyone at Winners? Stop wondering. Start gifting. Winners, find fabulous for less. Welcome aboard Air Canada Rocky's vacation here we come Whoa is this economy Free beer, wine and snacks

Sweet Fast free Wi-Fi means I can make dinner reservations before we land And with live TV I'm not missing the game It's kind of like I'm already on vacation Nice Air Canada Nice travels

Wi-Fi available to AeroPem members on equipped flights sponsored by Bell Conditions Apply see Air Canada.com You're listening to the Vox Media Podcast Network. MMA fighting presents timeline. Ilya Teporia versus Max Holloway. February 4th, 2012. UFC 143 Diaz versus Condit, Las Vegas, Nevada.

The 4-0 Hawaiian Max Holloway makes his UFC debut against WEC veteran Dustin Porier as an early prelim for the UFC pay-per-view. Holloway suffers his first career defeat. submitting to triangle arm bar in round one. Do you throw anything at you out there that you didn't expect? A couple of things he threw. I expected a kickboxer to throw body kicks. Good crosses down the middle.

He was trying to counter me. I was throwing an outside leg kick. He was trying to counter me with the cross every time I threw it. He ended up touching my chin. Kind of flashed me a little bit. Then he threw like a recircle. We mixed again. He threw a flying knee.

Or I don't know if it was the knee or the shin. The way he throws his knees weren't like a normal flying knee. He kind of like jumps up. and it looks like, you know, it's kind of weird what he was doing, but something hit me and flashed me, and I knew I had to put the pressure on him. And once I got him against the fence, you know, I have an eight-week strength and conditioning program.

You know, I feel really strong at 145. So he almost got away from the takedown, but, you know, I got him down. And once we hit the ground, I showed, you know, that I do practice jihitsu. Holloway would go on to win his next three fights, including a victory over Leonard Garcia before losing a close match against Dennis Bermudez.

at UFC 150 alongside Max Holloway who defeated Justin Lawrence tonight and Max congratulations on a fantastic performance would you say that was your best thus far in the UFC? Oh yes man best best by far you know I finally got finished I don't have I really don't have that much finishes on my record I want finish I want to finish fights you're 20 years old the youngest fighter in the UFC how are you so confident and calm inside the octagon there how's this not not getting to you man you know where I'm from I'm from the city in a city called Wainai in a in Wahua Hawaii and you just got to grow up fast man.

I saw things at a young age and I told myself I don't want to be like those guys. I saw them guys who I don't want to be like and I just, you just got to, you know, go above the influence. Looking back on this year, you know, you make your UFC debut, you took that fight on short notice. You come back, you look very good and you look, you know, obviously very solid here tonight. This is a positive year for Max Holloway and are you excited about 2013 building off this? I'm excited, baby, about 2013. You know, I got three wins in a roll.

And like I said before, to be the best, you got beat the best. And, you know, that's what I plan on doing. I'm young. I'm going to go back in the gym, take a week off, go back in the gym, get training harder again, and wait for the call. August 17th, 2013, UFC Fight Night 26, Shogun v. Sunnan, Boston, Massachusetts. For his fifth UFC fight in 18 months, Holloway is set to face red-hot Irish prospect, Connor McGregor, on the prelims. Holloway loses to McGregor by unanimous decision. The fight was expected to be a striking battle, but each fighter suffered leg injuries in the match,

McGregor with a knee injury, and Holloway with an ankle injury. April 26, 2014, UFC 172 Jones v. Tashara, Baltimore, Maryland. After getting back on the winning track with a knockout victory over Will Chope, Holloway returns to the Octagon to face another young prospect, Andre Feeley. Holloway would show off his submission skills with an impressive guillotine choke in round three. Holloway would go on to win three more fights over Clay Collard, Akira Khorasani, and Cole Miller. April 18th, 2015, UFC on Fox 15, Rockhold versus Machita, Newark, New Jersey. Now on an impressive five-fight win streak, Holloway is set to face top contender Cub Swanson.

So, you know, your story is a great one because you're so young, you're 24. correct and or you're about to turn 24 and you came into the UFC as such a young age short-noticed fight right and we didn't really get to see the real you then after the Poria fight I think we got a sense of that and then you stumbled a little bit but now recently five in a row and you've looked incredible what's been the biggest difference as of late I have my maturity you know and and uh and the first couple of fights I didn't really have a striking coach you know as only me and my boy duster Kumar you know he's helping each other out you know and and and just being each other's Mittman, you know, and it was hard, you know, because we wanted to be food time fighters, you know,

so it's hard to honey midst for each other and working with each other. But now I got, I got two striking coaches. Now I got, I got Ivan Flores over at Legacy Muay Thai, and then I got Hawaii lead MMA, Charles Kili-Pi. So it's awesome, you know, it's great. And now I got guys that can worry about watching fight and breaking down fights and making combinations. And I don't have to worry too much about it. So when you look at, you know, the Max who fought, say, Connor McGregor, do you say this is a completely different guy? You know, I would say it's not completely different, but it's different. You know, a lot of people would tell me, tell me, oh, I can't wait to watch that fight.

You know, the first fight was so good. I just don't see it, you know? I don't see how the first fight was so good. Yeah, I went 50 minutes of the guy whooped to do, you know, but I'm telling everybody right now, you know, the second fight. We're going to cross-bats again, and the second fight is going to be a great one. In a breakout performance, Holloway dominates Swanson and finishes him by submission. late in the third round.

The victory earns performance of the night honors for Holloway, who would follow up this victory with wins over future lightweight champion Charles Olivera, and then Jeremy Stevens. As far as changing of the guards, newcomer against old school, you had a great performance by Max Holloway over Cub Swanson. What a tremendous win, six in a row. You're on fire, my friend. We should do this more often.

How impressed are you with Max Holloway, and how close is he from that title talk at this point? Well, I sort of mentioned, too. Like the rematch that none of us ever really contemplated, all of a sudden becomes a thing that you're like, whoa, what happens now at 23 and looking like he does and how much he's added in the short amount of time if he fights Scott and McGregor again?

All of a sudden, these things play back. That tells you how great a performance it was for him to just be now mentioned in that space of title contention at all. But you're right. These matchups tonight were exactly those groundbreaking performances that you needed to see from the guys who were sort of that cusp, you know, the cuspers who are coming up and they're trying to take the place

and be in that top 10 space. We saw a lot of that tonight, and occasionally get these cards, and it just sort of flushes the system and gets it all new again. But to do that against Cubbs Swanson, man, it's pretty impressive. That guy was, what, on a six-fight winning street

before the Frank Eager thing, and he had everything to sort of, every bit of motivation coming into this fight to really put on a performance and showed that that was, you know, a fluky thing or whatever, and he could not get things rolling. He didn't have many answers for what Max Holley was doing.

So in my mind, that was, that was the performance of the night. I just want to fight the best. You know, a lot of people, this fight, they were saying I was going to get annihilated on the feed. I was my best chances on the ground and this and that. I was tripping out. I was like, I'm not even a ground fighter, you know,

and I striked all my fights. And it's just, it's just, now it's just crazy because all the same guys is, like, going on and telling me, oh, my gosh, you're not going to beat the next, like, the same Chan Mendes or Ricardo, or Frank Yeager, like, there's always somebody else, you know?

There's always somebody else that's going on, annihilate me, you know, I just, I fought the fight of my life and, you know, people's not, people's not happy with that, I guess. Do you have a preference who you fight next? Is there someone in mind? You know, I don't care, man, whoever, you know. I'd fight whoever, you know. I'd love to get that McGregor fight, you know. Everybody's like, oh, you know, McGregor beat you with an ACL, he just destroyed you, this and that. I was like, yeah, okay, cool, you know, but not too much people knew I was injured, you know, and then when I came out with it, then people was like, oh, you know,

You're just making an excuse, you know? Why you come out two years later, you know? Because I didn't want to cry about it, you know? It's something that it wasn't that I didn't want. I'm not that person, but it just gets to a point where these guys just get under your skin. Keep saying, you got annihilated. But a guy would have blown ETA, blah, blah, blah. It's just frustrating, you know?

What was wrong with you? I got a high ankle sprain in the first 30 seconds of that fight. Oh. I kicked them in his knee and then I kicked him in his elbow. And ran in the first 30 seconds that I just couldn't, could not move. And I taught everyone. I thought, go watch any Max Holloway fight. When do I ever move straight back?

Go tell me. Go point on any fight. If you got me, if you go watch my fight, you know that wasn't me, you know? And a lot of people are like, oh, oh, this and that, like, oh, no, you were, that was the best you or this and that, he had this stuff. McGar got hurt at the ending in a second round, you know, at the ending of a second round. And he got hurt on the ground, so he took me down, you know? So I was thinking, like, that's my point exactly. Like all these guys say that he's going to knock me out this next time.

He had two rounds to knock me out before he got injured, you know? So where was it? I don't know. I don't see it. June 4th, 2016. UFC 199, Rockhold versus Bisbing 2, Inglewood, California. Holloway faces perennial top contender, Ricardo Lamas. Holloway wins by decision to pick up his ninth consecutive victory.

And while Holloway's performance as a whole stood out, It was the final seconds of the fight that fans remembered. As for the first time, Holloway did his iconic point to the mat, leading to a fight-ending slug-off. When was the first time that you did that? Was the Ricardo fight? You never did that in training or in any other small-time fight. That was the first time ever?

Yeah, I was like, you know, I try, at the ending of the fights, I try to throw down for like the last 10 seconds, but I never really made it known. You know, I try to stay there and be like, oh, 10 seconds, my will just swing, you know. you know, see what happens. But that last fight, Ricardo, like, if you watch, he taunted me, like, three times. And I was thinking, like, in my mind, like, what the hell you taunted me?

You know, if you want it, you can get it. Then, you know, I decided to just stand my ground, you know. So it was crazy. What's your dream fight at this point? Ah, you know, my dream fight is either a rematch with Connor or, or a fight with Aldo, you know, because, you know, I always wanted to fight Aldo since his WEC days before I even went to the UFC. He was the best guy forever, you know.

I always wanted to fight him. And then of course the Connor, the corner fight, you know, people keep saying, telling me that, harassing me on top of Twitter and stuff, that he had a torn ACL and he couldn't finish me and this and that. But it is what it is, you know, go tell your boy Connor, prove it that he can finish me, take the, take the fight, you know, I keep calling him out. I keep seeing, you know, I keep talking, talking, and he's not talking about me. He's talking about a bunch of other guys that he fought before.

December 10, 2016. UFC 206, Holloway versus Pettis, Toronto, Canada. Holloway is booked in his first pay-per-view main event opposite former lightweight champion, Anthony Pettis. Watch every single fight. Watch every single fight and you guys can go. Watch the fight from Jeremy to Olivera to Germany, Jeremy to stuff. What's the name, Lammis, the Cub fight. Watch all those fights.

I grow. I show something more better. And my plan in there is to finish you. If I don't finish you, I'm making you guys right. the next day and be like, holy shit, why is this guy in with Max Holloway and who's next? You know, so that's what I've been saying, you know, this whole camp, everybody's going to have someone who's next, you know, it's just, it's time to, we came to that point where you guys just need to all agree and be like, Max is the fucking man.

He's the best guy on planet Earth. So that's the time that we're here now. Holloway finishes Pettis late in the third round via strikes. Max Blessed Holloway is the new interim UFC featherweight champion. It's been a hell of a ride, man. And we're just getting started, man. Two more in, man. Tune in, tune in, tune in.

This is just the beginning. You know, I said it in there in February, you know, and then when everything was slowing down, I was in the back. I was thinking of I had to give up, I really had to give up Thanksgiving for this fight. I had to give up my birthday. And, you know, and it's hard to find the guy, you know, like I said. You know, hashtag, where's Jose Ovaldo?

And let me know when you find them, you know. Teamwork is the dream work, you know. If more of us is looking for them, we're going to find them together. But we see what happens, you know. I don't know. I don't want to give up my son's birthday and Christmas for February 11, and he don't show up, you know. This guy has an act for not showing up to the fight. So we see what happens, you know.

Maybe I got to talk to Dana White first, man. I got a brunch that I want to do. We sit down with him and Sean Selby, and we can talk some business. Now that you're the interim champion, are you willing, you know, in the worst case scenario where Aldo is for some reason unable to defend over the next six months or something, will you entertain an interim title defense? Of course. I'm the best man alive.

Like I said, everybody always gave me shit. Like, oh, why you wanted to fight Aldo? Why are you not calling out Connor? You know, it's like, look, Connor's booked. Why I'm going to call out a guy who's already have a fight? I was looking off for Aldo. I thought he wanted to fight and this guy is saying he's the best in the world. Come and prove it.

You know, I don't believe in guys waiting for title shots. That means you're fucking pussy. You don't believe that you're the best guy in the world, you know? I believe on the best damn guy in the world. If I got to defend this tank ten times before I get the undisputed thing, that's what I'm going to do. I'm going to prove to you guys, prove to myself, and prove to everyone that I'm the best motherfucker walking on two feet,

and you guys are all going to witness it. This is the blessed show now, you know? I'm taking over. You know what's better than the one big thing? Two big things. Exactly. the new iPhone 17 Pro on Telas' 5-year rate plan price lock.

Yep, it's the most powerful iPhone ever, plus more peace of mind with your bill over five years. This is big. Get the new iPhone 17 Pro at tellus.com slash iPhone 17 Pro on select plans. Conditions and exclusions apply. Workday knows there are two kinds of people in business, backward thinkers and forward thinkers.

And when you're a forward thinker, you need an AI platform that think links like you do. Built to evolve with your organization, Workday reimagines how you manage your people, money, and agents for long-term success. Bringing all your most valuable resources onto one powerful platform so you can add value even faster. Workday, moving business forever forward. June 3rd, 2017, UFC 212 Aldo v. Holloway, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Holding the interim title, Max Holloway is set to face champion Jose Aldo at the Junice Arena in a UFC featherweight championship unification bout.

Oh, but they both lost to Connor McGregor. This belt is Connor McGregor. Does it bother you? It doesn't bother me at all. Connor McGregor should be proud. Like, listen to this. He should be proud. He's a 2015 champion, you know? Walk around with your belt, you know? Guess what? DJ got 11 belts. He should walk around every single belt. You know, I'll go back. Back to basketball, LeBron James got three rings. What are you gonna tell them?

You're gonna tell them, oh, you can't walk around your three rings. Why? He deserved the damn thing. Connor McGregor is a champion in 2015. Get that one thing straight. What year are we in today? What year? 2017. This is a new champion.

You gotta play to be the champ. You gotta play, and he's not playing. You know, just like, I'm gonna go back to LeBron James, then. Imagine if LeBron James them just won last year, against Golden State. won the finals against Golden State. They're playing Golden State again. Imagine LeBron came on and be like, guys,

we're not playing the final this year. We beat them last year. We're the champs. In what sport does that work? Does that work in soccer? Holloway stops Aldo via third round TKO and is now the undisputed UFC Featherweight champion. Every time you, I'm the most nervous in the back when they're telling you, you know, five minutes,

you know, 10 minutes, five minutes, okay, it's time to make the walk. But once I'm making that walk, it's like Mike Tyson said, man, you know, you get your nervous, your nerves, your nerves, but you just keep your confidence keep going, confidence you keep going. Just like Mike Tyson, I feel untouchable. I feel like a God in there, you know, and our game, and I really knew our game plan was going to work. You know, there's enough tape and, you know, all those, all those are, he's one of the greatest ever, you know, but it's just time for a new era, you know, it's time for the new wave of guys, you know,

us young guys is coming up and we're proving it, and we're showing to the world that we're here to stay, we're taking over, you know, like I said, you know, MMA is a forever evolving, you know, you either evolve with the sport or you get left behind, you know, so I'm trying to lead the pack, I'm trying to sprint, and everybody telling me, like, oh, why is Max not doing this, that and that? Like, look, guys, it's not a three-round fight, you know, it's not sprint.

You know, I got five rounds now, and the guy likes to fade later. So, you know, it's just, you know, drawn them slowly. When they put the belt around you, how would you describe that? Was that, I mean, I'm sure you've dreamt of that moment before, being crowned the champion. What did it feel like? Oh, man, I can't put into words, you know. I can't put it to words.

I was tripping out. You know, I gave a bunch of people was a bunch of people was giving Bruce shit and Bruce Buffer. And I kind of tripped on too because Bruce announced end now. Yeah. I didn't get my end news. So I told Bruce, I told Bruce, I saw Bruce later on in the night. I told Bruce, Bruce, the next one, you need to say end new and still. Just so I can just hear you say end new, you know.

But it was fun, man. It was crazy. I cannot, the emotions was crazy. You know, I knew how much it meant to, meant to my family and me and all of Hawaii or even the world. I knew how it meant to them see me get the intro, you know. So when I got that one, it was this, when I got the undisputed, it was just amazing. You know, I was just imagining Hawaii going off with fireworks again, you know. I was like, this is great. This is a cool thing.

And I, it was just, I can't explain it, man. It's something that you got to experience yourself. December 2nd, 2017, UFC 218, Holloway v. Aldo 2, Detroit, Michigan. Originally booked as Max Holloway versus Frankie Edgar, a few weeks out, Edgar is forced to withdraw from his title bid due to injury. The UFC books former champion Jose Aldo, who was already booked to face Ricardo Llamas in Winnipeg to rematch the champ as the main event for UFC 218. You just squared off with him.

You've had a few of those now without those. Do you see anything different in the guy? Same guy. Same guy. Same guy. Same exact guy. Hopefully 100% Aldo shows up Saturday night, and I get to prove my legacy, cement my legacy, and, you know, move on with my life. I know you said all the right things when Edgar pulled out. You said, just tell me who it is.

I don't care. I want to fight Detroit. I'll be there. But is it hard to get motivated for a guy that you just beat, that you just kind of prove the point against? And it was such a long, drawn out process? Like, wouldn't it have been nice to face a fresh face? You know, not at all, you know, that last fight, I'm like finding Nemo.

Call me Dory, you know, this short time memory loss. It happened, it is what it is. And like I said, we got cupcakes coming. Of course, I got 250 cupcakes coming in tomorrow for me. I'm looking to, there's new ones, you know, there's new flavors. I was looking forward to new flavors. But I know if the new flavors don't show up, guess what? There's a bunch of cupcakes that I know it's going to be in there that I'm going to enjoy.

So all these guys is like cupcakes to me, you know, anybody can get it. I don't care. I'm not picky. I love it and anyone can get it. Holloway successfully defends his title, once again, finishing Aldo with a third round TKO. I recently heard about Aldo's, his motivation for his fight was his daughter and me being a parent with my son. I get it, but you know, that guy should, he should know, he doesn't have to owe anybody anything, you know. That guy is one of the greatest of all time. I think Brazil should be building something. statues of that guy and all of the vellas man he's a legend he's a goat and i got a lot to feel so but you know to your question i i told you guys before there's a quote going around i told you guys

if i beat you one time the second time's going to be worse and in the third time you should rethink your life about accepting the fight you know but it's just joking but it's i we knew it you know after the first round i walked up to to joe rogan and john anna i told him the guy's tired. He's tired already. In the third round, I've dropped my hands. I was telling him to punch me. I was like, bro, this is where you punched me. Punch me in the face. I'm daring you. I was telling I dare you. I dare you. I dare you. You know, it went well. Things went my way. I think so. I landed. He landed some shots. My shots just seemed to hurt him a little bit more. So everything went my night tonight. But like I said, the guy's a goat man. You know, nothing but respect for him and

his team and his family and all of Brazil. Max Holloway is the reigning, defending UFC featherweight champion. He wins his 12th fight in a row. He successfully defends that title for the first time since 2014, the first person to do it since 2014. Do you remember who did it back on October of 2014? Putting him out of the spot. Josie Aldo. Yes, of course. Joseo against Chad Mendez in Brazil. Remember that night? Here we go. The blessed era is upon us. April 7th, 2018, UFC 223, Habib versus Iaquinta, Brooklyn, New York. originally booked as Habib Nirmagamadav for the undisputed UFC lightweight title, Ferguson is forced to pull out of the bout due to a knee injury.

Max Holloway steps in on very late notice to face Nirmagamadoff in an attempt to be the second ever simultaneous multiple weight class UFC world champion. I keep talking about six days notice, you know, it's a short, he's taking a short notice fight against me. How are you going to get ready for six days for me? That's the real question. And everybody keep action about my weight. You know, the weight is good.

After the fight, 30 more pounds. 30 more pounds, two sides. We're walking out of the octagon, baby. Great, thank you. Yeah, I agree with him. You guys remember when John Jones don't take fight versus Chelson, like one week or nine days? I didn't remember.

He said, this is different stylistic fighter. Of course, for me, it's not easy to. Everybody talk about him. He's right, you know, because I all the time focus to Tony, Now they give me one of the best, he has one of the best wins through all time in UFC. He's not smallest than me, now he's bigger than me. You know, I want to give him respect. He takes this fight, but, but one week ago, he, vacation, drink beer, everything.

But, hey, I am training for five-round-fight, you know. This guy have to knock me out. Hey, I was getting ready. If this guy, if this guy don't knock me out, it's going to be a big night for him. You know, he's going to be big night. He has to knock me out and that's it. How are you going to beat me? Hey, I've been trying.

He makes tired of his opponents. He makes tired of all the time his opponents. Like Aldo, Pettys, like other guys. He makes tired and we win. It is, right. Hey, we're going to find out Saturday night. How are we going to make you tired? We'll find out Saturday night, baby.

Let's go. Sorry. Could you tell us how much you wait right now? That is also a secret. Why is so many secrets? Why? You know, when you're in Missouri. You don't tell everybody is churks, you know, just like reporters, you know?

You don't tell us where you get your source from. Come on. This is like Hollywood. If I told you, there's either two things. You can be think I'm lying or you won't believe me. Unfortunately, Holloway is forced to pull out of the fight on the morning of weigh-ins due to weight-cutting complications. July 7, 2018, UFC 226, Mietchich versus Cormier, Las Vegas, Nevada. Holloway is set to face Brian Ortega with the UFC's 145 pound championship on the line as the

co-main event for UFC 226. Max, you had that good tough weight cut in April trying to get that to 55. Was there any fear concerned that it could affect this weight on turning around, doing it again, so soon as the last one? Not at all, man. It is. Things happen, stuff happen. We're right there to make it.

You know, we're right there to go. We're ready to go. You know, as doctors took came in and they stopped it. Yes, it is like his. You think you could have made it that your van stopped? Oh, for sure. For sure. Marker Mundy here for MMAfighting.com with Sean Alshaddy.

We're in Las Vegas, a little bit of breaking news. Not good news, Sean. Max Holloway is out of the UFC 226 due to concussion-like symptoms. Going to off the top read the statement that Max Holloway's management team, soccer punch entertainment sent out to the media, beginning with Aral Humana, VSPN earlier tonight, just really a few minutes ago here. in Las Vegas is about 10 p.m. local time. The statement reads as follows. Max's team in

UFC staff noticed Max was not normal since late last week. This became obvious to many watching his interviews and public appearances in the past few days. He was showing concussion-like symptoms before he even started his weight cut and was rushed to the ER on Monday, where they admitted him overnight. Initial scan seemed okay, and he was released Tuesday afternoon, but symptoms still continued. Max fought with his team to continue with the fight. He showed some improvement over the next day, but was still showing obvious symptoms. After open workouts, he crashed, and this is where it gets a little scary, Sean. After open workouts, he crashed and was very hard to wake up.

When he did, he had flashing vision and slurred speech. He is now back in the ER for further tests. Now, Sean, there's a couple things that stand out. I mean, there's a lot of things that stand out about that statement. Obviously, this seems very severe, very significant. One was that Monday, two days ago, locally in Las Vegas. Max Holloway was in the hospital already in the ER.

And the second thing is after open workouts, where we saw him just a few hours ago at the MGM Grand, he was hard to wake up after after the open workouts, flashing vision slurred speech. These are not positive signs. The fight is off. We know that for sure, but how frightening are some of these things

that are being reported now about Max Holloway? It's scary, man. It's really, really scary. December 8, 2018, UFC 231 Holloway versus Ortega, Toronto, Canada. The UFC featherweight champion, Max Holloway, and number one contender, and undefeated Brian Ortega, are rebooked as the made event at the Scotia Bank Arena in Toronto. Everybody keep talking about Brian and this and that. Everything the guy did, I did better. He's on what, six-fight win street? I got 12.

He beat the champion, I beat two. And I'd be one of them twice. You know, so at the end of the day, the Bless Express is going around in a circle. We're laughing you, bro. You know, brother, and I'm younger than you. So congratulations. And just quickly for Brian,

when you hear him say that everything you did, he did better, do you have a response? Sometimes the best response is no response. Sometimes you don't have a response, so... Someone is still delirious. What do you say? I said you're still delirious. I always tell everyone right now, lady,

especially because it's the most common question. At the end of the day, I really do care about your health and how you are and how you're doing. I know you got a son. I mean, bullshit aside, you know, I know we're fighting all that shit, but I do hope you all right. He's all right.

You know what I'm saying? Like, for me that, you know, It ain't cool if you step in there and you're not physically all right or something's going on. You know, I wouldn't want me to step in there. I wouldn't want him to step in there, especially you got a family. I got my family. So, like I said, I did worry about him. I do.

I pray for you, swear to God. And we're going to give you guys a show what you guys deserve. And nothing's going to happen. Holloway defeats Ortega by Dr. Stoppage at the end of four rounds, capping off another masterful performance. You know, when you're in there, you see things. You know, I just felt it's energy dropping, energy dropping every round, every round. I heard his coach is talking, you know, in the first couple rounds,

and he would push, and then, you know, around, like, the third round and stuff, I heard his coach is talking, and there's no push anymore, you know. And then when I was coming out of the third round, I told Joe, this is the round, get ready to come in and talk to me. And then when I didn't get the finish, I walked straight to Joe to him. I was like, ah, this close, maybe next one. And then when they called the fight, I jumped the cage. The first guy I talked to was, Joe.

hey, I guess I was right. I take it back. We was there. Thanks, Max. Thank you. Thank you, guys. All that. Is that nice to be a picture? Yeah, please. April 13, 2019, UFC 236, Holloway v. Porriere 2, Atlanta, Georgia. For the second time in his UFC career, the featherweight champ will attempt to face Dustin Porre. However, this fight takes place in the lightweight division, and the stakes are much.

much higher, with the winner being crowned the new UFC interim lightweight champion. Man, you are moving up to 155, and that is the big story this week. Just what is the best part of life at 155 so far for you? The best part of life at 155 so far for me right now is eating. I get to eat, you know, I eat a lot at 45, but I get to eat a lot more at 55. So it's great, you know, eating and just, it's just fun, you know, it's just fun. 55 is 55 55 is still a cut, you know, but it's not a 45 cut and 45 ain't really that hard. You know, everybody keeps giving me a hard time about the weight and blah, blah, this and that.

You know, never ever have a missed weight in my career, you know. Doctors came in and stopped it, you know, I don't know what for the first time. And other times, I wasn't even weight related. So I'm just, I'm just happy here to make history, you know, if people keep telling me, I'm going to, I have the chant to be the fourth champ champ. That is a lie. I'm going to be the first champ I champ. going to be the first

first guy to win an interim in two different weight classes. And then I'm also going to be a guy that's also going to be the first headlining of the ESPN Plus pay-per-view cards. There's a bunch of history that's going to go on Saturday night, and we're about to drop a video of how you can download the app and buy the fight. You're just setting records all over the place. Record set up. Nah, no, it is what it is.

It comes at the game, you know. When you want to be great and you got to go and you got to plan, all these things are going to come along with it. So, you know, I'm just here for the ride. I can't wait. I'm excited. And I can't wait to go into that octagon on Saturday night and sure worldwide I'm one of the best pompfulan fighters in the world. In one of the best lightweight title fights in UFC history, Max Holloway loses by unanimous decision. Max Holloway, man, he didn't end up stopping Dustin, but he definitely heard him a few times in that cardio, that fabled cardio, it held up. He, he battled back, like you said, in the middle

rounds you know i saw some people on online making the case that max actually took three of them he took all the middle rounds dustin took the bookends i think you can see that uh i i personally scored it for dustin but sensational fight and just an excellent capper for the night were you were you surprised at max's durability he took some some heavy heavy shots from you yeah uh you know i was surprised i heard him that quickly in the first and it looked like his feet were his legs were definitely gone, you know, he took a couple steps back and started wobbling. And I've seen a lot of Max's fights. I've never seen him really hurt like that. So I went a little crazy trying to put him away, which has got me in trouble in past fights. But the guy's so tough, man. This was my 40th

fight tonight. And there's only been two fights that my hands, they're going to be swollen and hurting tomorrow. There was a Gaichi fight and now Max. July 27, 2019, UFC 240, Holloway versus Edgar. Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Max Holloway is set to defend his featherweight title against the former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar as the main event at Rogers Place in Edmonton. But the motivation, never ever crushed the motivation.

The boy is always motivated. And Frankie's Frankie, man. If you don't give this guy a respect, he deserved. He did something that was unthinkable, unhurtable, and a division hired than us when he was a much smaller dude. So I can't wait. You know, these are the fights that excite me. You know, the man's a legend.

If he's not a hall of fame, he's a future hall of fame. If not, he's definitely a Hall of Fameer in my eyes, at least. And, you know, not to by respect for him. Holloway defeats Edgar in a definitive, unanimous decision. Max has pretty much done everything Jose has been able to do beating the old guard, like Jose's beat Ricardo Lamas. Max has done that. Jose Alos being Frankie Evierre.

Max has done that. He's pretty much being all. of the old guard of the featherweight division. Yes, he has that Brian Ortega one, which is this new face, this new breath of fresh air. Huge, huge. It was not only was huge, it was dominant in a fight that people were expecting a very competitive fight. So he has a lot of contenders now with Sabit and Jaer and Al-Zander Volkanowski. So it's pretty much 1A1B right now, but Max Holleywood with another absolutely beautiful performance against Frankie Edgier.

What does it mean to you? You praised him so much leading up to this fight. It was all respect afterwards. What does it mean to have his name on your resume? It means a lot, you know, without the guys like Frankie Edgar, you wouldn't have guys like me. Frankie Edgar was the inspiration. You know, Drake said, trained to your idols become your rivals, you know, and we're here. And he's a beast, you know, you can't take nothing away from Frankie. He's still a legend. He's been in top five forever in two different weight classes and a way class where he was very undersized.

Boy looked kind of big today, though, but it was super fun, you know, it was super fun, you know. Like I said, I'm trying to be the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. Not the best featherweight in the world. I'm trying to be the best palm-for-pound fight in the world. And Frankie is one of the guys to help me one step towards that goal. All I kept hearing was I wasn't going to be able to handle Frankie's pace. I wasn't going to be able to handle his wrestling. I fought no one like Frankie before.

So I had it in my plan in my mind. I wanted to go out there and show everybody why I was the best in the world and why Bless Express and the Bless I was in full effect. I went out there, control the fight, and show everybody, look, I don't have to be in these wars and this stuff. You know, it's fun sometimes, but sometimes, you know, not looking like the guy from Gooney is great too. So we got some business stuff. We got some business stuff to do after this fight, and I couldn't be too beaten up. You know, the last fight I had this big scar on my face, and yeah, I don't like it.

Rush teases me all the time, so it's kind of horrible. Yeah, how you feel about how did Daddy look good tonight? Pretty good Pretty good What was pretty good What was pretty good? It punches Oh just pretty good

I'm kind of mad He's not getting chocolate wasted tonight guys I am I'm taking all the goodies that you guys saw unembedded December 14th 2019 UFC 245 Usman versus Covington Las Vegas Nevada

The reigning UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway is booked to defend his belt against the surging Australian Alexander Volkanowski as the co-main event at the Blockbuster Year End UFC Pay-Pervue. Next year, mate, I'm looking to be the greatest featherweight of all time. So a lot of people are twisting my words and saying that, I am looking through Max and I want to rematch. I was actually saying that, you know, I'm looking to be the greatest featherweight.

And if I have to beat him again, then that's what I'll do to prove to the world that I'm the greatest featherweight of all time. A lot of people have been saying that you are a terrible matchup for Max Holloway on paper. I've seen it everywhere, really. A lot of people are saying this. You must believe that yourself. Oh, 100%. And it's, yeah, well, I know that.

So I know I'm a terrible matchup, and I've always known that maybe these people are starting to jump on board because they've seen him lose and they know he's not invincible. But it's even deeper than that. Just his style and his game that he's so good at, and don't get him wrong, it's very effective. And I use that as well in my fights. But that obviously doesn't work with me. He can't approach this fight the way he has. And he probably still will because he's such a gamer.

But I mean, if he's gonna come at me like that and think he can grind me down and punch me in volume and outstrike me like that, he's got another thing coming. You know, obviously I'm very powerful. And if he's gonna come in me alone and I get to sit on my punches, I hit very hard. And if you're gonna do all the work for me and let me, you know, obviously the shots are gonna be there, the power,

the punches, overhands, you name it. I get to just play what's in front of me and I get to enjoy this fight. Obviously it's gonna be a tough one, like I said, It's going to be still back and forth. I still think that. I know I'm going to land some big shots and he's still going to come at me,

but I think his game, he will realize that it's not going to work with me pretty early in that fight. I've got a lot of respect for him. He's a great champion. He had that blessed the era, but that changes and that all ends December 14th. It's like GSP once said, you know. It's harder to defend a title than win it.

Because if you think about it, when you, fighting for a title, you're trying to earn something brand new. And when you're defending the title, you're just trying to re-earn something that you already have, you know? And it is what it is, you know? That's when me and my team, we sit down and we look for questions and what these guys, we look for challenges and this and that, and we look for things that excite me. And excite me is asking questions, you know? Everybody keep talking about this guy has power you know everybody say oh max you're taller but the guy got the reach you know i got a little teerex arms i don't know what's going on a lot of people like

you're tall you have the reach max you're your jab i'm like guys look at the reach my reach is shorter than everybody i fought is it for probably frankie but you know at the end of the day i'm just i'm just excited no i'm excited every every fight to me is a championship fight i told you guys before i the champ that I thought I was in championship fights and that's the way I carried myself. And that's the way I'm going to continue to carry myself, you know. And with him saying that he's the one that's going to do this and that you need that confidence. I don't, I don't, I want to fight a confident guy, you know, and he's, he's across the Arcticon come December 14 because of that confidence and I look forward to it.

Volcanoes Holloway by unanimous decision and snaps Holloway's 14 fight featherweight wind streak. Alexander the Great Volcanovsky is the new UFC featherweight champion. Yeah, you know, the first round, it always takes me a round or two to start getting going, you know. But yeah, I was going to fill him out, you know. I was talking about how strong he was, how powerful he was. So who was playing that game? You know, I wanted to see and I felt like I was having success from like mid-second round to all the way third, fourth fit.

And at the end of the day, it just wasn't enough. I mean, I try to finish every fight, you know. I go out there. I try to fight my fight. I definitely felt him slowing from third, fort, and even the fit, you know. He was talking a bunch in like the middle rounds and then fort and fit. He wasn't really talking too much. So I felt like I was finding my way, you know.

I thought I was finding my way and, man, I thought I thought I was falling wrong. I thought the first round I was filling him out. So he did what he did in the first round. second round I thought I was taking over and then three four five I thought was mine's but so in other ways you know that's it there's only three opinion that matter like Bert like the great Bert Watson said don't leave that shit the judges they don't make you cry so it made me cry twice in 2019 so that's uh that's that's let's let's uh two two 20 new year new me man it was it was

it was a tough one for me again I stay so composed in there I've got a job to do right when I'm in there and that I've always said that I keep myself so level headed and composed. So going through, I was just taking every round and talking to them. I'm going, how's it going? They're going, it's going good. It's going good. So, you know, I thought it was reasonably close. Obviously, I thought I was winning, but I didn't know. But my corner were done a really good job of letting me know that and not getting caught up into his game. And as the rounds gone, they're telling me to keep doing what I'm doing. So I've got full faith in them. Game plan was working well. My shin's a little sore, but, you know, the game plan

very well so it was good again I was saying like you know we're both very high level you know was a chess match in there and yeah I got the job done a lot of people keep asking me about oh yeah we've poor here he done this you know these are things that you seen him do that you could use I'm like yeah we're seeing stuff but we're seeing things that max win win win and we see him why he's winning like things that work really good for him you know where we look that deep and uh yeah like I said we we think we've we've got a formula and I've got that style as well so when he really wanted to pour it on. I was just getting out of range or I'd let him run into some of my shots. And then obviously them leg kicks were there and that gas tank. I've got the gas tank.

We'll sit in there talking in there. I was like, hey, we're both fresh. We're both fresh in there. Like, you know what I mean? So, again, there's a couple of little mental and physical games in there. But, I mean, it was, yeah, it was good fun. Ford was built on the belief that the world doesn't get to decide what you're capable of. You do. So ask yourself, can you or can't you? Can you load up a Ford F-150 and build your dream with sweat and steel? Can you chase thrills and conquer curves in a mustache? Can you take a Bronco to where the map ends and adventure begins?

Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right. Ready, set, Ford. July 11th, 2020, UFC 251, Yaz Island, Abu Dhabi. The champion, Alexander Volcanowski, is set to defend his. title for the first time in an immediate rematch against the 28-year-old and now former champion Max Holloway on Fight Island. When the pandemic first happened, I made a stay-at-home video. I made a social-dissing video, you know, like, what I was supposed to do? Contradict myself, you know? My nickname, not Starburst. My nickname is blessed, you know.

So at the end of the day, that's what we did. We did the right choices. I put salmon first, and everything else I knew would fall into place. You know, you just, MMA mixed martial arts is all about adapting. And that's what we did. We just adapt. We always wanted to be in front of the pack and never ever in the middle. And we're adapting. And I believe we stood meeting the pack.

In one of the most underrated and closest title fights in UFC history, Holloway loses by controversial split decision. And look, there's no way you could call this a robbery, Jose. Like, if Holloway got the nod, I wouldn't have been upset. Volcanofsky getting it. That doesn't upset me either. What did you think in the Featherweight title fight? and how the decision went?

I had Max winning. I can't remember the exact scores I had, the exact rounds I had, but I had him winning. I thought it was pretty obvious. Max won. It's not a robbery because at the end of it, I'm like,

that was a really, really close fight. The problem is, in my mind, Max clearly won the first two. I think that's obvious. He won the first two. I had a bunch of knockdowns, but then when the rounds that Volcanowski won,

which would be three, four, five, I think on the judge's scorecards, I don't think he clearly won any of those. I think in the fourth round, I was looking at this, I'm like, Max could be up 4-0 or it could be 2-2. Like, that's how close this is right now. But Volcanowski won and Max is now 0-2 against the champion. It's, I don't know, it's a weird time to be a featherweight

because you got a quote-unquote, like this champion that's on the super long run, this looks super-long-run, beats Holloway twice, beats Aldo, and now we can go out to these bigger fights. But you're always getting in the back of your mind. Like, yo, you lost that. second fight to Holloway. I wish didn't go that way. Yeah, well, obviously, fourth and fifth, I'm pretty confident. Most people know I clearly won them. That third round was probably a little bit closer out of the three

last ones. But, you know, obviously the takedowns and, you know, a lot of my shots, I feel like were better shots anyway, to be quite honest. But then first three rounds, again, I'm a realist. I'll tell you, I believe that, you know, he started off well. But I come back from the third onwards. Again, I showed what champions are made of. This sport isn't easy. And sometimes you're going to be put in these positions. and only certain champions can dig deep like I did. And, you know, again, I'm proud of that I dug deep and got the job done and bring this back home to Australia and to my family.

October 10th, 2020, UFC Fight Night Marais versus Sanhagen, Yaz Island, Abu Dhabi. The 23-year-old Ilya makes his promotional debut opposite Yusuf Salal. Deporia wins by decision and moves his record to nine wins with no losses. Teporia will follow that up with a knockout victory at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas against Damon Jackson two months later. Forrens is the night. Mogli Benitez and Jordan Levitt. Yeah, $50,000.

Not too surprising. Tuporia, again, really would have been probably another candidate. That KL, again, it was six hours ago now, so no one remembers it. But holy cow, this guy's good. Throw them to the top 20 right now. Like, I don't want to wait. Absolutely. Kind of like, yeah.

Throwing right to the top 20. January 16th, 2021. UFC on ABC 1, Holloway versus Cater, Yaz Island, Abu Dhabi. The former champion, Max Holloway, is set to face up-and-coming striker Calvin Cater in the main event on Fight Island, a historic card, which was the first to air on ABC. I'm just excited, man. I'm excited, you know. We got to find out that we got to.

we find out that we got fans I find out that we are on ABC and then we also find out that I'm the first main event in that new arena so it's a bunch of it's a bunch of pluses

you know I can't wait you know and like I said fighting is fighting a fighter is fight to me and I can't wait to go out there Saturday night and do my thing and even being the first fight you know in three weeks you know

coming back we're the first one a year and first fight with fans in what since March of last year so it's just, what a time to be alive. You know, I'm just excited that I get to be in this opportunity, and I can't wait to go out there and I'll do my thing. In an unbelievable striking display, Holloway lands a record 445 significant strikes

over the 25-minute dominant decision. Is Max Holloway officially the greatest featherweight in UFC history after his performance against Calvin Cater? I think you have to give him that. I think he had a reason to be called that before this, you know, the way that he obviously we would have said it was Jose Alta before that, right? But the way that he was able to handle Jose Alta on two occasions and then just, I think what I was thinking about tonight was, and he mentioned to a couple times in this fight press

conference, his journey to that first title shot is unparalleled, I think, at least in that division. That guy has earned every iota of success that he's had. And it's interesting to call someone the greatest all time after dropping fights to the champ, right? But given his route up to the title, given his title reign, unless Alex Wolkenovsky is able to hang on to that title for an eager longer period, which is possible. He might go on and do that. But right now, yeah, I'm comfortable saying that then Max is always the best father would. Just blessed. It's blessed to be on ABC. Blessed to be, have fans back.

Bless to be the first quarter of the year. Blessed to have to be here in Ithiath Arena the first time. And to be the first main event and sent some numbers. I found out I hit them 700 something times or something. Like that's pretty cool, you know. So I just, I feel great, man. I was in my bag today. I felt good.

Everything was rolling and I got some of the badest man's behind me. that's what happens. As long as you can take it, I'm going to give it. As long as you can take it, I'm going to give it. As long as the ref lets you stay in there, I'm going to keep giving it, you know. The fight don't stop until the bell stopped. So I just kept punching, you know, kept punching and kept punching. And I was not on my coaches.

I was kind of tripping out. I didn't know I got, I punched that much. I was like, in my mind, I thought I was like trying like 10 or 15. I was like, God, like only 10, 15 or even 20 punches around. I was like, why am I getting so tired? And then after I heard the record, I was like, oh, that's probably right. I got to go back to math. I think third grade math is hurting my brain a little bit, so I'm counting off.

Rush is rubbing on me. I had a chip on my shoulder, and I wanted to prove that Wine Night Boxing is, we're kind of different. We're a little different than these guys, and I got to go out there. You know, I got to do that little thing. I just saw UFC post a clip. That was pretty cool. I slipped couple punch. I did the no look right hand, and then I told him what?

because he missed all his punches. So I was just having a time of my life, man. It was super fun. Save y'all chickens. Save y'all chickens. Right here. You guys only get one brain. Save it.

You guys don't need to do it. We, you start enough. You train enough. We know how to punch someone. You know how to slip a punch. Why are you going to take unnecessary damage before the main game, you know? And that's just the way I think, you know,

and everybody who keep telling me that when I'm on my stream and they come through my Facebook, FB. gg. Backslash Max Hollowo official come through live streams, baby. And everybody who tell me I should be training,

no. I've been training, baby. When I play games, leave me alone. I want to play video games. So, yeah, please protect you guys head. If I got to tell an up or comer coming,

be smart, figure out a way of taking less damage. You want to be in this game for a long time. And I want to have more kids. You know, I got Rush. I got Rush, a little Rushie Boo-boo.

And then I want more kids, about so I want to be around for a long time for them. Did you at least consider Max for a third fight the way he looked tonight? I think we have to. I think we have to. I mean, when you're the champion, you have the top five guys in the world gunning at you, right? When you're the number one contender on the world, you've got the top ten guys in the world. Sometimes number eight is more dangerous than number three.

Tonight he fought a bad dude that a lot of people thought was going to beat him, and he went out and treated him like number six. he did what he needed to do in spectacular fashion tonight and I think that he deserves to fight Volkanowski again I want legacy fights I want big fights I want fights I want fights like this we're on ABC I want history so it's a belt no belt whatever it is you know I want a fight I want a fight the champ is saying that he wanted a different fight like I said I said it earlier he didn't want a tougher fight I want tough fights I want the bet you guys think someone is the best fighter in the world you guys tell me let me know I'll sign that line July you

10th, 2021, UFC 264, Porreier v. McGregor 3, Las Vegas, Nevada. Ilya makes his pay-per-view debut on the prelims against grappling phenom, Ryan Hall. I just want to enjoy. I just want to get that win. And I want people to enjoy because I don't come here to people to board. I want, I come here to make a people enjoy. I don't come here to people to hate me. I want them to love me. So I come here to put a performance for him. Deporia brutalizes the overmatched leg locker and knocks him out late into round one to remain undefeated. November 13th, 2021, UFC Vegas 42, Las Vegas, Nevada. Max Holloway makes his UFC apex debut in the main event against dynamic Mexican striker, Yaira Rodriguez.

Holloway wins by decision and earns himself another opportunity at the UFC featherweight title. Insane. It's one of the best fights I've ever seen. And the fact that Yair was off for two years, comes in and puts on a performance like this is unheard of. I mean, it's unheard of. It was incredible. And then Max, I didn't think he was going to make it out of the second round with the calf kicks. And then after him, you know, made it into a fifth round, I'm like, he's probably not going to be able to walk out of the octagon. by himself. He's walking around back there like nothing even happened. He said his leg is fine. He just told me, I just saw him back. I said, you are a lunatic. It's unbelievable how tough this guy is. I mean, it's one of those things. The razor thin. He just comes in and puts on a performance like

this. It's just, you know, this is just, this is a guy that Volcanowski's going to have to just get him out of the way and do it again. You know what I mean? March 19th, 2022. U.S. Volkov v. Aspinall, London, England. After being forced to cancel his last featherweight fight the day of weigh-ins due to weight cut issues in January, Ilya Teporia is booked in a lightweight bout against Englishman Jai Herbert. The heavy favorite overcame early adversity, but ended the fight with a knockout of the year contender right hook in round two.

So why not just stay at 55? Yeah. No more 45. Because my goal is to take that belt, because I want to take that belt, you know. I want to finish the business I start in 145. I want to kill everyone there and then move up to 155 and go for another belt. So your next fight, if you fight Patty, it will have to be at 55 again, right? Yeah, definitely.

No wage limits. for me, that's not. Okay, so your days of fighting at 45 aren't over, but this one obviously 55 and then you want that one. Yeah, I will be fight, you know, 1.45 and 1.55. You're going to see him in both weight classes. July 2nd, 2022, UFC 276, Adasania versus Canineer, Las Vegas, Nevada.

The former Featherway title holder and now Challenger takes on the reigning champion Alexander Volkovsky for the third time. I always told myself that I you know the belt doesn't define you you know I'm a champion I've been telling my champ I've been telling everybody that I'm gonna be a champion and I was a champion from since when I first got into the UFC you know that's just that's just the way that you gotta carry yourself you know if you don't carry yourself that way then why why are you fighting you know you're fighting to

be the second best in the world that that makes no sense you know so I keep telling myself that I'm the best and I'm the champ and you know it is what it is if If you disagree, then we can figure it out in the Oclagon. It's crazy, you know, when in the last decade, you know, did this fight happen where two top guys in the top 10 pound rankings happen? How many times did it happen, you know? I mean, the only guys that come to mind is D.C. and Jones, you know, that's the only guys, you know, and we're here now, you know, this fight, these things don't happen, you know,

and these are the things that excite me, you know. We get to be a part of that history. And to you guys, to all the hardcore fans, this is what they want. They want the best of the best fighting each other. And here they are. You know, these top pound-for-pound fighters don't fight each other. They just don't. It doesn't happen.

You know, it happens every softened a decade. And we're getting blessed with one right now. You know, all week, all I heard it was you guys talking about damage. We're talking about damage here. Oh, you guys, damage this, damage that. I'm known for taking damage, and he's known for not giving it. So let's get it. Hey, we're gonna see Saturday night, right?

That's the beauty of it. That's why you can't spar anymore, because you get punching head too much. I can't hear you. Let them have them. Let him have them. Let him have it. Let him have it.

All good. I can't hear you to the noise, brother. I can't hear shit. Hey, I love it. You can't hear shit, brother. Hey, you-1-0, better be free, no. Let's fucking go. Saturday night, me.

Hey, I just want to say, I want to say, booze, the booze, everything, the energy and he. I love it. I love it, too. Bring it on. Volcanovsky dominates Holloway and wins a lopsided, unanimous decision. Obviously, a finish is always good, but I mean, for people to expect a finish with a fight like this, we're both durable, both tough, we're both smart.

You know what I mean? It's, again, a legendary tune that I wanted a crack and it stays legendary again. So credit to him. December 10, 2022. UFC 282, Blahovitch v. Ankylaev, Las Vegas, Nevada. Ilya is booked in his first main card appearance on a UFC pay-per-view. The undefeated Georgian will be facing his toughest competition to date in top 10 ranked grappling specialist and 15-0 Bryce Mitchell.

Yeah, he's undefeated for a reason. I'm undefeated for a reason too. So he's got grappling skills. It's really good, but mine's a... is even better. Do you think it becomes a grappling match, which I think a lot of people want to see, or do you think the grappling cancels out and you guys end up standing and trading? Of course not, because he's don't going to be able to take me down, and I'm going to strike

with him because I'm way better than him in the striking, so I'm going to put his lights out on Saturday night. I think after this fight, I'm going to face someone from top five, probably, yeah, from top five and I want to fight for the title as soon as possible. Yeah and then move up to 155 maybe we'll see what's going to happen. What I did to you in your country try to do it in Spain you were born in Germany and you're going to happen to you're a little mongrel. Shut up. That's what you're a little mongrel. If not I'm going to stand up and I'm going to crash your face right here. Do it then you have another question. Do it? Do it then?

You little pussy? What? Do we? Do we? Come to do something? Do something, stand up. What are you do? You'll do nothing. You'll do nothing. Your little fart.

Go and sit back down. Sit back down. You little pussy. Puta. Fucking pussy. Fucking. Everything. You little mushroom.

You little chorizo. Your fucking Spanish sausage. Your fucking pussy. Toporia dominates Mitchell and ends the fight by arm triangle in round two. The very first punch he landed. Like, Bryce looked very uncomfortable. And then I went back and looked after it because I hadn't really considered this.

Bryce hasn't been hit a ton in his, his UFC career. Like, he's been hit a total before this fight, like a total of 100 times. Half of that came in his tough debut. But, like, not against big hitters. The good hitters he's faced, he took them down immediately. like Edson Barbosa got like five strikes on him Charles Rosa got like three strikes on him he hasn't been hit by a dude really

and he looked very unhappy being hit by Ilya and I can't blame him we all saw what happened to Jai Herbert I don't want to get punched by that man and yeah nobody at featherweight should want to fight this dude nobody should want to do it they're like maybe maybe five featherweights

I'd pick to beat him in a fight right now this dude's awesome and he's 25 he is only getting better, baby. Did you say you were going to leave his head as flat as he thinks the earth is before this fight? And I did it. April 15, 2023, UFC Fight Night, Holloway v. Allen, Kansas City, Missouri. Blessed is now set to face up-and-coming prospect the 19-1 Arnold Allen in the main event. Holloway wins a competitive decision.

I just wanted to be great in something. I don't know what it was. By my mind, I just wanted to be. Whatever I think I did, I wanted to be the greatest at it and keep going, you know, and then try and change the generation. No, it's, I mean, I'm sure you heard it. It's just generational curses. That's what it is.

That's why, like, some of these guys can't see out of their little box that they live in. Like, this is the way. Like, since my parents did this, I got to do this. Since my friends is going to this party, I got to go to this party. You know how much parties and whatever? When I was, like, a young kid, I had to, like, skip all. on, you know what I mean? I was like, bro, I'm good.

I'm training tomorrow. I got to wake up early. Wow. You know what I mean? They'll be like, yeah, come on, you can train later. Now, it's good, you know what I mean, it's okay. It comes to a point where you can't have that fun, but that wasn't that time, you know. Now you can let loose a little bit here and there because you need to, but there are certain times and places where you can take it.

And I saw the bad road and I saw the good road, you know, and I saw people take the good road, then go back to the bad road too. You know, it wasn't always like all bad. And I saw people doing bad. and then they hit the good road. And I see people doing great now, you know what I mean? So at the end of the day, it's never ever how you start the race. It's how you finish. So I always tell people, just finish strong.

Finish strong and whatever is, hold belief to you. You're going to fail. You're going to fail. That's just it. And that's just it. Everybody's like, oh, how do you do it, blah, blah, this and that. It's like, brother, I got like, I can't even tell you

because I didn't even think about it. But I failed a bunch of times. I got like fucking seven losses, I think, next to my record. Does that make me any lesser person of anybody else? You know what I mean? Like it's this, it's only losses if you don't learn. And I learned every single time, you know what I mean? Like I try to tell somebody who's having hard times, like, bro, you may feel like you lost

now, but turn this loss into learning. Then you never truly lost because look, you're going one step in the direction, you know? Sometimes you do feel like you take one step forward, three steps back, but that got to happen, you know? Maybe the next leap is 10, so you don't know. You got six steps back, so that's the main thing. But just trying to, uh, just trying to help somebody to just to just, you just to just, you be the best they can be.

June 24th, 2023. UFC on ABC 5, Emmett versus Teporia, Jacksonville, Florida. Teporia is booked in his first main event opposite heavy-handed, top-ranked, Josh Emmett. Teporia wins a dominant 25-minute decision,

moving his overall record to 14 and 0 and 6-0 inside the UFC's octagon. Have they told you that? You are next. So I didn't have any official conversation with the UFC. but my management team, they did. So, yeah, I'm the next guy in the line. Always I step inside the cage.

I finish my fights or I get that 10-7 round. He was on my show on Wednesday, and I asked him about you, and he basically said, like, you know, he hopes that you don't fight anyone else because he doesn't want you to lose so that he can get to you first. And you reference other comments here. Are you feeling disrespected by any of these comments?

No, I didn't feel any disrespect from that. He can say whatever he wants to say. I know what's going to happen when we're going to face each other. He can say whatever he wants to say. It's like always. Every your opponent is what, what they're going to say? No, he's going to beat me? No.

And you think that it will be an easy fight for you? For me, yes. For you? It's going to be easy fight. Really? Yeah, because, yeah. And I always said that before I even was ranked, I always said like, every time I'm going to move up in the rankings, every fund is going to be like more easy for me.

And why? Why? Because it's it's more easy to have a game plan against a guy who are like more technical that fight with someone who is unpredictable, you know? It's difficult to have a game plan with someone like like them. And the guys who are not ranked like they are not really technical. You don't know what they're going to do, you know? So you saw what happened with me to me when I faced Joe Herbert.

You know, I wasn't stand up and throw me a kick from nowhere, you know? So it surprised me, but with guys like more technical, guys who are like more regular like combinations, it's more easy to have a game plan against them. If Volkanowski fights if he fights Islam and the UFC says hey we want to keep you active we want you to fight someone else What would you do in that situation? Max Holloway okay That's the only two names I have right now in my mind

Volcanovsky when whenever they want and I don't care about the place and with Max Holloway in Spain Yeah. I would love that fight too with Max Holloway. And whenever you fight Volcanovsky and we suspect it's inevitable, officially prediction on the record, the clip that we can play leading up to the fight, what is your official prediction? How do you beat him? So my official prediction, I was thinking a lot about that. I was like doing my imaginations in my mind.

And so I see like knock him out in the first two rounds. Yeah, I see myself knock him out. Maybe in the first round. Because he got that type of fighter who goes forward, you know. And you can go forward with me. You can do that. And especially if you have that boxing style, you know. Yeah.

The striker. I'm going to finish in the first round. August 26, 2023. UFC Fight Night Holloway versus the Korean zombie, Singapore. Max Holloway is booked in yet another main event. This time against the wily veteran, the Korean zombie. You mentioned Korean zombie, and then he posted a video responding to you and saying he would love to. I saw it.

Did you see the video? Yeah. What did you think of it? Yeah. I would love to. I would love to it. I wasn't disrespecting. I remember he was calling me out after he beat.

I forget who he fought in the apex. He beat somebody, but it was on the UFC Journey or whatever the UFC thing was called that time. It's called UFC Journey now. But he was saying that he wanted to fight me, and I always wanted to fight him. That's one of the guys that we never got to fight. We used the same guys coming up from that early, that early, you know, that merger from WEC, my first era. You got to fight most of them guys, and he's the one that got away. So why not?

I mean, I'd be a fan favorite of fun. I heard maybe there's something in Australia going happening in the later in this year or mid-year. So that would be fun. I want to fight them, man. That was one of the guys that always wanted to fight. I always thought who was going to fight, but the stars is never aligned. And I think so the stars aligned now and it would be a fun one. I think it would be a fun fight, you know, put us on a pay-per-view card, put us on a main event, whatever we want to do.

We can fight five rounds, even if we want to pay-a-pview card, I don't care, you know. I just want to fight the guy. You know, that guy is, uh, that's definitely a legacy fight. That's a huge name. And I'd love to fight them. The heavy favorite Holloway dominates in wins by knockout. The 36-year-old Korean zombie would announce his retirement after the loss. This was about as fitting of an ending to an incredible career, especially from an excitement

level for the Korean zombie. Was it not like just emotions all around, everything that went into it? How did you react to the retirement? the fight, all of it. I just felt like it was so fitting. It was fitting is the perfect word. Zombie-zombied up until the very end, right? I mean, I think we, like me in particular, right?

I can only speak for me personally. Going into this fight, I felt a looming sense of dread that I think is very common for us to feel as consumers of the sport, fans of this sport, right? When it comes to our legends in these retirement fights, especially when they're fighting someone as good as Max, we've just been so conditioned to expect the worst, right? I coming in, I was just praying that this wasn't going to be a five-round beat down,

a fifth round TKO where zombie takes another 300 shots in this career that he's already taken so many different shots. And it's just this depressing scene, and we get something like that. And instead, the man delivered as he always does. He went out on his shield, as he always does. And really, he went out on his own terms. And to me, I know he got knocked out of me. And Casey, we were talking about this on the pre-show of how it, you know,

he got knocked. knocked out ultimately. So this was some sort of bad ending for him. But it did feel like there was a sense of satisfaction that came from it, right? Like he truly went out on his own terms in that second round to nearly get finished in the way he did and then to storm back in the third and say, you know what, man, it really felt like he zombie flipped that switch and said, it's either going to be me or it's going to be you, Max, and we're going to figure out this out real quick. And it played out that way. And it was incredible theater. It's one of the most exciting sequences we've seen all year from a man who has given us some of the most exciting sequences in the history of this sport, one of the most consistently

exciting performers we've ever seen lace up a pair of four-houns gloves. February 17th, 2024, UFC 298 Volcanovsky versus Teporia, Anaheim, California. The champion, Alexander Volcanovsky, is set to defend his belt against the undefeated Ilya. Who doesn't want to fight me right now? Who not? I didn't become a U.S. World Champion yet. I have three more days. to do it they are really calling me out everyone everyone why yeah because they want to fight you yeah and you're a big deal yeah red panty nights this week for photos you touched your belt the last time you did a face-off what does it mean to you if you're gonna get that belt wrapped around you on fight night that's what

I've always said you want to earn your not given to you he took advantage of taking a photo with the belt and they Like I said, you may as well take advantage of it now. You're never going to see it again. Not until I teach you a lesson. Maybe one day you can be a great champion. I'm going to kick your ass first. You'll learn your lesson.

Maybe you can bounce back after that. But till then, get your hands off my belt. Halfway through round two, Tuporia knocks out Volcanowski in devastating fashion with a right hook. The 15-0 Iliya Teporia is now the UFC featherweight champion. Oh, nice couple. Oh, wait. Holy shit. He can't even believe it.

Oh, my God. And on Saturday, to me, it felt like something when Toporia knocked out Volcanovsky. Because of who Volcanovsky is, because of how good he was since 2019, since becoming champion in December of 2019. But in large part, because of who Volcanovsky is. who Elliott Tupori is and how he conducts himself. I'll be honest. Changing the bio. It's not my style.

I'm not that cocky. I'm not that confident. 15 and O UFC featherweight champion, putting the belt around his waist all week, speaking like he was already the champion that he was just going to roll through Vogue. I'm a very superstitious person. So I can't even wrap my head around that type of confidence, right? This guy,

walk the walk, talk to talk, and got it done. And what did we say before the fight? if he pulls this off, being as cocky as he is, as brash as he is, as confident as he is, and I don't say cocky in a negative way, he's putting it out there, no different than Connor back in the day putting it out there, if he actually gets it done and doesn't just like squeak by, like gets it done, exclamation point, essentially what he did on Saturday, you've got a superstar on your hands. And he did all of that and more.

April 13th, 2024, UFC 300, Pereira versus Hill, Las Vegas, Nevada. Max Holloway makes his second promotional appearance at lightweight, this time on the Blockbuster pay-per-view UFC 300, against one of the heaviest punchers and most exciting fighters to ever enter the cage, Justin Gachi. And it will be for the baddest motherfucker in the game belt. He will lose my respect if I don't try to fuck him up. And I would respect him, I would not respect him one bit if he didn't come in there and try to take my head off. That's what we do.

I love this fucking shit. And if he was to take his foot off the pedal because he likes me or something, then that's, that's some bitch shit. And there's no bitch shit in me or him. So we're going to show out. We're going to try to fuck each other up. And we're going to respect each other after. We're going to go in there, hurt each other, and get a drink after. And a bonus.

And a bonus. We're going to go in there. We're going to hurt each other. each other and only drink. I'm not taking it easy for no one. He's not taking it easy for the moment and we're going to get it done. In maybe the best performance of his already Hall of Fame career, the 32-year-old 32-fight veteran dominates the highlight over four and nine-tenth rounds. With less than 10 seconds left in the 25-minute brawl, Holloway, who is clearly up on all of the scorecards, goes back into the archives of one of his most famous moments and points to the middle of the

canvas challenging Gaichi to just let it all go and swing for the fences. Gaichi unsurprisingly obliges, and with just one second left on the clock, Holloway delivers one of the most devastating and dramatic knockouts in UFC history. The former champion in all-time featherweight great Max Holloway has knocked out the knockout artist himself, Justin Gaichi, and is now the brand new BMF champion. 20 to go. Come on, Max. 15 seconds. Whoa.

Eight seconds. They said go to the middle. Swing it out. Go to the middle and swing it out. Come on, Max. Come on, Max. Come on, Max. Oh, he just got Justin Gage.

Oh, he just killed him. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my shit. Oh, my God. That was the sickest thing I've ever seen. With one second left.

He said, Oh my god Oh my god Holy shit If that's not a BMF moment I don't know what is If the car just flip and Justin was up if he felt like he was up I knew he would give me that 10 second shot So he's a bad man and I don't know if I ever gonna share an octagon with him again

He's a legend brother This is the type of fights this is the type of stuff you do to edge your name in the history books And I'm just happy that I was the one landing you know he missed some shots I I was getting hurt by the wind of his shots, but that's how hard he hit. This guy is the next level. I was counting out. People was telling me, what about he's doing? Justin was going to be too big, too strong.

Just a lot of stuff, you know, people need to get reminded. And I'd let him know. I let him know. I was telling people all week, but we're here. I'm here. I'm here. And you guys need a reminder. Everybody was talking about the hair cut is back.

I guess that his hair cut is like going super sane or something if you guys is anime fans. So at the end of the day, it was just a huge moment for me, you know, being blessed enough to be in there, being UFC 300, having this event, brother, this event is going to be talked about for ages. You know, I don't know what card is ever going to have 12 or more champions on top of it, you know, so we might have to wait to 400 for that one, and that's the ways away. And obviously you want that earlier to purify, but after how good you look tonight at 155, could you see a world where you call 155 home in the for the long term? We see what happens, bro. We see it happens. I'll go save my team and we have options, brother. I ain't in a rush nor. I ain't going nowhere. I want to be. I'm only 32, brother. A lot of people

watch me fight when I was 20 in this sport. And you guys think I'm like 41 or something. You guys think I'm DC's age, you know, I'm not. I'm 32, I'll be around for a long time, get used to it. October 26th, 2024, UFC 308, Teporia versus Holloway, Yaz Island, Abu Dhabi.

The 27-year-old Georgian fighting out of Spain, Ilya, is set to defend his title for the first time against the 32-year-old Hawaiian and former champion Max Holloway as the main event of UFC 308 in one of the most highly anticipated fights of 2024. Into the Vox Media Podcast Network. Unwrap holiday magic at Holt Renfrew with gifts that say I know you. From festive and cozy fashion to Lux Beauty and Fragrant Sets,

our special selection has something for every style and price point. Visit our Holtz Holiday Shop and store or online at Holtrenfrew.com.