Improbable Comeback Puts Max Holloway Back in Title Fight

Holloway was prematurely written off in the summer of 2022

Extra Mustard is a weekly column looking at the highs and lows–and everything in between–in combat sports and beyond.

Two summers ago, Max Holloway looked finished.

Alexander Volkanovski had just run circles around him at UFC 276. It was Volkanovski’s third straight victory against Holloway, with each becoming more dominant.

Volkanovski used Holloway as a punching bag at UFC 276 / Zuffa LLC

The bout in July of 2022 was as one-sided as possible, and having dropped four of his last seven, the writing on the wall was clear: Holloway was entering the decline of his career.

As it turned out, reports of Holloway’s demise were greatly exaggerated.

Since that loss to Volkanovski in July of 2022, Holloway has yet to taste the bitterness of defeat. First was an exceptionally tough bout against Arnold Allen the following April that was designed to be Arnold’s breakout moment; again, Holloway rewrote the narrative. He ate a number of blistering shots from Allen, and reminded the fight world of his prowess with an excellent showing. Then came a bludgeoning of The Korean Zombie last summer, a fight Holloway was supposed to win.

Holloway was spectacular in his UFC 300 victory against Justin Gaethje / Zuffa LLC

Holloway, who turns 33 in December, capped off the comeback with a shocking beatdown of Justin Gaethje in April at UFC 300, winning the ceremonial BMF title–and recapturing the fight realm’s attention with his performance.

Now comes a new test for Holloway. He gets a featherweight title shot at UFC 308 in October against Ilia Topuria, an undefeated force who put Volkanovski to sleep to win the belt. But Holloway has one significant advantage in this bout–he knows the feeling of failure.

Topuria, 27, is an exceptional fighter. If you ever momentarily forget that, he’ll remind you. He is in dangerous territory with the way he is believing his own hype. Perhaps that hubris bites him in this bout, maybe it doesn’t–but he’s fighting a beast that was already read his last rites.

🐺Winter is coming🐺

🚨 October 26 2024. Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates 🚨#blessyourself #blessedexpress pic.twitter.com/Kjc81McfLU

— Max Holloway (@BlessedMMA) August 4, 2024

Holloway was forgotten and largely dismissed after the last loss to Volkanovski. Hell hath no fury like a long memory, and Holloway is going to fight like hell to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

Also, is there a timeline where Holloway wins this fight, reclaims the title, and then gets a fourth shot at Volkanovski? Somewhere, the members of the 1990s Buffalo Bills–who lost in four consecutive Super Bowl appearances–are pulling for him.