Former UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway said that he is open to staying at welterweight going forward in his UFC career.
After competing exclusively at featherweight and lightweight through the first 14 years of his UFC career, Holloway will move up to 170 lbs and fight Conor McGregor in a welterweight rematch in the main event of UFC 329 on July 11.
While most assumed that this was a one-off fight for Holloway at welterweight, the Hawaiian superstar has now said he is open to sticking around in the weight class going forward.
Max Holloway Open to Sticking Around at 170 lbs
Speaking to MMAjunkie.com in a recent interview, Holloway said that he is open to staying at welterweight going forward, depending on how the McGregor fight goes, as he is interested in fighting UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev.
“Being able to have the Islam fight, bro, and the way Islam’s career went, that’d be pretty sick to share the Octagon with that guy. So, at the end of the day, we’ll have to wait until after the fight,” Holloway said (via Bloody Elbow).
At the same time, Holloway is also open to bouncing back between lightweight and welterweight, as his time at featherweight is essentially over now. If he stays at lightweight, then a rematch with UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje — whom Holloway brutally knocked out at UFC 300 — could be on the table, while at welterweight, a new matchup against Makhachev could be there.
“I would love to, both of those fights are fun. But, why not go back down to ‘55 and then do something amazing and then maybe come back up. We see what happens, you know. I would love to fight both of them and that’s a tough one, man. I don’t know what I’d choose,” Holloway said.
Max Holloway vs. Conor McGregor 2 Odds
According to the latest betting odds, Holloway is a -225 betting favorite over McGregor, who is a +190 betting underdog.
Holloway is coming off a lopsided decision loss to Charles Oliveira at UFC 326 earlier this year, but that was a grappling-based fight, whereas this bout with McGregor is likely to stay standing.
While McGregor has the ability to KO Holloway with one punch, Holloway should have the advantage as far as the cardio goes if the fight goes long, plus he typically is very solid as far as durability goes, so he deserves to be the betting favorite against McGregor.
Max Holloway Open to Staying at Welterweight