Apr 13, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Max Holloway during UFC 300 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

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Max Holloway Fires Back at Doubters, Questions Justin Gaethje’s Claim To Title Shot

Max Holloway claps back at critics dismissing his title hopes in favor of Justin Gaethje getting the shot instead!

Apr 13, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Max Holloway during UFC 300 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The MMA world never sleeps, and neither do the debates about who deserves what. Former featherweight king Max Holloway has found himself at the center of another heated discussion. This time, it’s about whether he earned his way back to another title shot against Ilia Topuria. The Hawaiian fighter isn’t backing down from the criticism though.

Holloway’s journey has been anything but ordinary lately. He suffered his first knockout loss ever to Ilia Topuria at UFC 308 in October 2024. But before that devastating loss, Holloway had delivered one of the most spectacular knockouts in UFC history against Justin Gaethje at UFC 300, capturing the BMF championship. The timing of that performance couldn’t have been better, as Topuria was sitting cageside watching the whole thing unfold. Now, after a brilliant showdown against Dustin Poirier at UFC 318, Holloway is looking at the 155lb gold.

Max Holloway Calls Out Haters

‘Blessed’ recently took to YouTube to address his critics head on. He pointed out what he sees as a glaring inconsistency in how fans judge potential matchups. His argument is pretty straightforward. He beat Gaethje convincingly, yet some of those same fans who doubt his title shot credentials are now supporting Gaethje getting a crack at the belt.

“Fans are saying that me vs. Ilia doesn’t make sense. But my last fight before this one was Ilia, and he did what he did to me. So, how do you make a case for someone [Justin] – I know he hasn’t even fought Ilia but I fought him, and I did what I did to that guy, and now he’s getting a title shot after just one win? Most of you don’t really understand fighting.”

Max Holloway responds to people and fans saying he doesn’t deserve to fight Ilia Topuria, and questions how Justin Gaethje should be next for the title shot instead 🤷‍♂️

"Fans are saying that me vs. Ilia doesn’t make sense. But my last fight before this one was Ilia, and he did… pic.twitter.com/gPQuxfhRug
— MMA Pros Pick (@MMA_PROS_PICK_) August 2, 2025

The math is pretty simple from Holloway’s perspective. He lost to Topuria, yes. But he also completely dismantled Gaethje, who some people think should get the next title shot instead. It’s like saying the guy who lost to the champion doesn’t deserve another chance, but the guy who lost to that same challenger does.

In the meantime, the lightweight division has turned into a traffic jam of contenders. Holloway currently sits at #4 in the rankings after his recent success, which puts him in a solid position. He’s also the current BMF champion, a title that carries its own weight even if it’s not a traditional belt. Even UFC President Dana White has shown interest in a potential rematch between Holloway and Topuria. However, nothing official has been announced yet and the lightweight division still remains in limbo.

(Image Credit: Mark J. Rebilas – Imagn Images)

Ilia Topuria

Justin Gaethje

Max Holloway

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!