Some fresh Max Holloway next fight news should arrive in the next few months, but while his legion of supporters waits we offer up a few opponent options and review his August highlight reel win over fellow featherweight legend Chan Sung Jung.
Related: UFC tonight – Fight card, betting odds, and watch times for Saturday’s UFC event
Max Holloway next fight opponent options?
In August, Holloway scored a second straight win when he sent “Korean Zombie” into retirement with a thunderous third-round knockout. The Hawaiian remains an elite fighter in the sport and has the potential to compete in two different divisions. That is why matchups with Josh Emmett, Giga Chikadze, and Beniel Dariush could be next.
- Fresh meat: Holloway has fought almost every top 10 fighter at featherweight over the last five years, except Emmett. If he wants to remain at 145 pounds this would be a fun and fresh fight for the division legend.
- Ninja: Chikadze has been one of the more entertaining competitors in the weight class over the last few years, so a booking between the two talented strikers would be a perfect UFC Fight Night main event.
- Benny: If Holloway wanted to make a run at the lightweight title a good starting point would be a clash with top-five fighter Beniel Dariush, who now has an open dance card following his loss in June.
Max Holloway vs. Chan Sung Jung recap
Fans wanted to see a matchup between Holloway and Jung for years, and in August the pair of division icons delivered a wild melee that lived up to fight fans’ expectations.
What happened: Early on, “Korean Zombie” was very game and landed some big shots on the former champion. However, as the minutes ticked away, “Blessed” started to get better reads on Jung and scoring more frequently to where there was a clear momentum behind the American as the fight played out.
The fallout: Sensing he was falling behind, Jung came out with unexpected and strong pressure in the fourth round. While that caught Holloway off guard it also set up a nasty knockout off a counter punch that will be on his legendary career highlight reel.
The road map: It will be interesting to see where Holloway goes from here. Staying at featherweight is likely, but the UFC legend should seriously consider moving up in weight because he could be fast-tracked into a lightweight title bout in just two fights.
What makes Max Holloway so popular?
Despite the greatness of Jose Aldo before him, many observers of the sport view Holloway as the greatest featherweight fighter in UFC history. Although Volkanovski may go on to usurp his place in history eventually, “Blessed’s” resume speaks for itself. And he will only add to it with many prime years still ahead of him.
The Best Boxer in MMA: Although Holloway is a complete fighter, he is a featherweight legend for his elite-level striking and the boxing he has often proclaimed as the best in the UFC.
- Max Holloway record: 25-7
- Max Holloway stats: Blessed has scored 10 knockouts and 2 submission wins during his career
- With over 25 fights in the top MMA promotion in the world, Holloway has compiled a 19-6 record. Eight of those matchups were title fights.
- Holloway earned the moniker of UFC featherweight GOAT from his decisive victories over former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar, current 155-pound titlist Charles Oliveira, Chan Sung Jung, Brian Ortega, and Jose Aldo (twice).
- His record is far from perfect but it has taken elite-level talent to beat him. All but one of his seven losses in the Octagon game against former or current UFC champions.
- Hawaiian MMA great BJ Penn was long seen as the greatest fighter to ever come out of “The Aloha State.” However, Holloway has surpassed Penn’s notoriety and become the face of Pacific Islands cage fighting.
Max Holloway’s net worth
Money is often one of the greatest measuring sticks for a fighter’s success. As of 2022, Holloway’s net worth is estimated to be over $2 million.