Max Holloway thinks Islam Makhachev might be scratching his head for not considering him as the potential next challenger for the 155-pound title.
At UFC 300, the winners of Charles Oliveira vs. Arman Tsarukyan and Justin Gaethje vs. Max Holloway were expected to emerge as strong candidates for the lightweight title shot.
While Holloway and Tsarukyan emerged victorious, the Hawaiian’s dominant win over Gaethje in the ceremonial BMF title fight is being hailed as one of the greatest performances in the sport’s history.
The win has transformed ‘Blessed’ into a strong candidate for the lightweight as well as featherweight title shot. While speaking to Brett Okamoto of ESPN MMA about his plan of action, Holloway highlighted that Makhachev avoided mentioning him before the fight, a decision he might regret now. He said:
“We’ve got options. The 155-pound champ [Islam Makhachev] was talking before the fight, saying three guys have the opportunity to go make a name to be next. He didn’t call me as one. I guess he’s scratching his head now because at the end of the day, we’ll see what happens. He’s known for defending against 45’ers. So, I like my options.”
Max Holloway’s remarks about Makhachev defending the title against “45’ers” stem from the fact that the Dagestan native secured both of his title defenses against former featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski.
