Max Holloway: ‘A lot of people laughed, but we’ll see who gets the last laugh’ at UFC 308

Max Holloway is ready to write the next chapter of his Hall of Fame legacy.

Holloway challenges Ilia Topuria for the UFC featherweight title in one of the most anticipated fights of the year on October 26 at UFC 308. The bout arrives after one of the most iconic nights of Holloway’s career — in April, Holloway defied the odds and moved up a weight class to co-headline UFC 300 against Justin Gaethje, ultimately knocking out the former interim champion with a legendary sequence in the final seconds of the fifth round.

Holloway now returns to featherweight to finish what he started.

“Everybody thought UFC 300 was amazing. Wait until they get to see the outcome of UFC 308, it’s going to be a good one,” Holloway said on his YouTube channel.

“I can’t wait. I’ve been going hard over the last few years trying to regain my throne. A lot of people laughed, but we’ll see who gets the last laugh come October 26.”

The bout marks a moment for Holloway many questioned would ever come. Holloway held the UFC featherweight belt from 2017-19, defending it three times and handily defeating the likes of Jose Aldo (twice), Frankie Edgar, and Brian Ortega. But his reign met an abrupt end when Alexander Volkanovski dethroned him at UFC 245. While Holloway has remained atop the ranks of featherweight contenders ever since, he ultimately lost three different times to Volkanovski and it appeared his championship window had closed for good.

But that changed in a span of two months earlier this year when Topuria stole away Volkanovski’s title with a first-round knockout in February, then Holloway captured the attention of the sporting world in April with his unforgettable win over Gaethje.

Holloway has largely stayed out of the limelight since his brilliance at UFC’s tricentennial event, but now camp is fully underway for his shot at regaining his old strap.

“The break in between camps is super important, especially like how big UFC 300 was, the things I had to put my body through to put on a little bit more size, to go up a weight class [to lightweight] and fight a dangerous guy,” Holloway said.

“Even after the fight, my face might’ve looked clean, I still got hit in that fight, my leg was a little beat up, so the recovery for not only mental but physical was needed. Not everybody can be Alex Pereira and fight every other month.”

Brash as ever, Topuria has made no secret of his plans for Holloway. The undefeated UFC champion recently promised to deliver a “complete masterpiece” by knocking out Holloway in the first round and has been trolling Holloway around every turn in the lead-up to UFC 308, similar to how Topuria acted in the build to his bout against Volkanovski. That’s bold talk considering Holloway has never suffered a knockdown in the UFC featherweight division, but Holloway is content to let Topuria entertain whatever dreams he desires.

For the man known as “Blessed,” this opportunity means more than most.

“Never, ever give up,” Holloway said. “A lot of people said I wouldn’t be in this position, I wouldn’t be able to be fighting for the featherweight title again. And I’m here, and I can’t wait to get it going. Camp is just starting, we’re buckling down, and I’m excited.”

“I think this fight is the most anticipated fight in all of this year,” he added. “A lot of people were looking forward to UFC 300, especially because of with who was on that card, but being [on] UFC 308, me and Ilia, main-eventing, I think this is one of the most anticipated fights of this year and I can’t wait to go out there and show the world.”

UFC 308 takes place at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. Topuria vs. Holloway headlines the event with a five-round featherweight showdown.