After UFC 308 loss, Max Holloway moves to lightweight division: 'It's hard to lose weight'

Max Holloway will move to the UFC lightweight division / Instagram UFC

the trajectory of Max Holloway in the featherweight division (up to 65,7 kg) seems to have come to an end. On his YouTube channel, the former champion announced that he will move up to the lightweight category (up to 70,3 kg). The 'Blessed One' is coming off a defeat against Ilia Topuria No. UFC 308, in a fight that put the featherweight belt at stake. The Hawaiian was knocked out on that occasion, something that had never happened before.

Holloway believes moving up a weight class could give him a fresh start in his career.

“Maybe this is like my phoenix moment, you know, from the ashes. We’re reborn. So we’re onto bigger and better things and walking through a new door, and starting a new chapter, and I’m a big believer in never saying never, and the big question right now is, ‘Was that your last fight at 65,7 pounds?’ You guys saw me kind of touch on that in the press conference and I can honestly say I think I’m done at 65,7 pounds. I’ve had 33 [fights], that cut was easy, bro… but it’s expensive to cut weight, period, whatever weight you are. Like I said, I had to give up ramen for my (featherweight) camps, so I’m done with that. I don’t want to give up ramen ever again. 70,3 pounds, here we go and 70,3 pounds is where I want to be,” the Hawaiian fighter highlighted.

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Holloway competed at lightweight in the UFC twice, first losing by close decision to Dustin poirier for the interim lightweight title in UFC 236 in April 2019, and earlier this year knocking out Justin gaethje in the last second of the fight for the “BMF” title in UFC 300. The 32-year-old, one of the UFC's best strikers, holds many of the featherweight division's biggest prizes, but for him, it's all about the fan-friendly matchups and the start of a new journey in his career.

“This is a new chapter. This is where we start and I’m super excited for it. I can’t wait. Like I said, never say never, but I can honestly look you guys in the eye and tell you I’ll probably never go back to 65,7 pounds. I loved what I did and I did what I had to do there, I worked my way back, I dragged myself back into championship contention multiple times. I was the champion, I defended at that weight, now it’s time to move on to the next chapter and 70,3 pounds, there’s a bunch of fun fights that I can’t wait to do. We’re going to take some time off, we’re going to relax, we’re going to heal, I owe my wife some downtime and some traveling. So that’s all we’re going to do, but when I do come back, it’s going to be 70,3 pounds and we’re there to stay,” Holloway concluded.