Max Holloway

Justin Gaethje, former UFC interim lightweight champion and former BMF belt holder, recalled his loss to Max Holloway, former featherweight champion. Justin admitted that he underestimated Max.

"It was harder for me to go into a primal state because of the fact that I didn't realize the danger that was upon me. I never in my life considered Max as an opponent I could fight. He was always in a different weight class," said Gaethje on Le Batard Show.

Recall that the fight between Gaethje and Holloway took place on April 14 as part of the UFC 300 anniversary tournament. Max knocked out Justin at the last second of the final round.

Islam Makhachev, the current UFC lightweight champion, commented on the recent fight between Justin Gaethje and the promotion's former featherweight champion Max Holloway. Islam noted that Max beat Justin in all rounds.

"I was a little surprised at how the fight between Gaethje and Holloway ended. I thought Justin would finish him, but the way Max performed..... He deserved all the hype, he beat Gaethje in all rounds," the New York Post quoted Makhachev as saying.

The bout between Max Holloway and Justin Gaethje took place on April 14 as part of the UFC 300 southpaw tournament. Max, who moved up to lightweight, knocked out Justin at the last second of the final round, winning the BMF belt.

Ivan Flores, coach of former UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway, gave his assessment of current titleholder Elijah Topuria, who is expected to be his charge's next opponent.

"You know, he's a pretty strong boxer. His hand speed especially stands out. The guy is aggressive, confident, but the most dangerous quality is his hand speed.

I would say that in a way he fights like a big-sized heavyweight. This is because of his physique and height. But still, his speed should be noted despite being a bit large. The guy has everything to fight in the welterweight division," - quotes the words of the specialist MMA Junkie.

Recall that the last fight Topuria held on February 17 at UFC 298, knocking out Alex Volkanovski.

UFC American lightweight Grant Dawson doesn't believe that the promotion's former featherweight champion Max Holloway can defeat current belt holder Elijah Topuria.

"No, Max is not going to beat Elijah. We've seen it before - Max has an incredible performance and then fails in the title eliminator. That's what happened last time - when Max fought Calvin Kattar, I said that nobody could beat Holloway like that. And then Volkanovski took him apart easily. Now we've seen a super performance against Gaethje. Maybe against Kattar Max hit more often, but overall it was similar.

Topuria is the best welterweight on the planet right now. He's versatile, plus he has very powerful punches. I think Elijah will beat Max," MMA News quoted Dawson as saying.

UFC lightweight championIslam Makhachev has spoken out about a possible bout with the organization's former featherweight champion Max Holloway.

"I'd be a little surprised at how the Holloway/Getty fight turned out. I felt like Justin might have knocked him out, but Max won all the rounds. He deserved all the hype surrounding that win - he knocked out a fighter with some serious power. A fight with Holloway? Only if he beats a couple other guys at lightweight. I don't want to give him a chance right now. There are other contenders at lightweight - first Porier, then Tsarukian. That's where I have business in my division and he has business in his weight class. Maybe if he beats Topuria and I win the next two fights..." - Makhachev said in an interview with the New York Post.