UFC 326: How Max Holloway has continued to prove Khabib Nurmagomedov wrong: 'I didn't want an easy ride'
Nurmagomedov made a bold proclamation about 'Blessed' in 2018 that Holloway still disputes
LAS VEGAS -- UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov once accused Max Holloway of fighting for money, not legacy.
Nurmagomedov, who had yet to earn a UFC title, made the bold accusation ahead of a scheduled bout with Holloway at UFC 223 in April 2018. Holloway, fresh off a second win over legendary featherweight king Jose Aldo to claim and defend the title, was daring to be great by stepping up on short notice to take on the Dagestani fighter after Tony Ferguson suffered a freak accident six days out from the event.
Holloway looked perplexed when Nurmagomedov made the claim. It contradicted everything he represents. He has always sought out the toughest challenges. It's also one of the origins of a Holloway catchphrase that has continued to this day.
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"To be the best, you gotta beat the best, and the best is 'Blessed.' At the end of the day, that's what I'm in the sport for," Holloway told CBS Sports ahead of his BMF title defense in Las Vegas.
Holloway never made it to the Octagon for that fight after the New York Athletic Commission pulled him for extreme weight cutting before he stepped on the scale. But his spirit and demeanor has always remained the same.
Few fighters can match Holloway's strength of schedule. He has fought 15 undisputed or interim UFC champions, a number that will grow when he meets Charles Oliveira in the main event of UFC 326 on Saturday. That's more than one champion per year, on average, since signing with the promotion. He hasn't fought an unranked opponent since Akira Corassani in 2014.
The road less traveled is the only one that appeals to him. It's not an attitude Holloway picked up fighting on mixed martial arts' biggest stage. He's felt this way for as long as he can remember. At times, he went to devious lengths to ensure he accepted the toughest fights -- even if it meant duping his coaches.
"There were times in my career when my coaches didn't even know; they weren't talking to my early management," Holloway explained. "I'd talk to him, and he'd give me three names. I'd ask, 'Who's the hardest guy?' I'd end up picking him before telling my coaches, 'Yeah, we're fighting him.' They said, 'What? They didn't give you names?' I said, 'No, we're stuck on this.'"
What constitutes a great career is subjective. Some will point to two-division titles or undefeated records. Those achievements, incredibly difficult and worthy of praise, often require timing and careful planning. Sustained excellence over a long period may be the hardest accomplishment in MMA. That insatiable appetite to conquer the tallest mountains is what Holloway is most proud of.
"UFC has some of the best guys," Holloway said. "I didn't want an easy ride to the top. I wanted to show people who I am."
Success hasn't lessened the chip on his shoulder; quite the opposite. It has grown alongside his legend, resting beneath the Hawaiian flag draped over him. The desire to prove himself, time and time again, runs deep in his roots. He's reminded of it every time he walks to the Octagon, including this Saturday.
"It probably started at home with my grandpa," Holloway said. "Everything we did, he always wanted us to be the best that we could be. Even if it was pulling weeds. From the city I'm from -- Waianae, Hawaii -- a lot of guys count us out. I was over it and wanted to show that great things come from Waianae. Now here I am."
Check out the full interview with Max Holloway below.
Already an all-time great featherweight champion, Holloway is forging his final chapter at lightweight. For someone once accused of fighting for money over legacy, he continues to shatter that narrative.
Holloway welcomes a fight with UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev, Nurmagomedov's pupil and the pound-for-pound best fighter in the sport. He also wants to avenge his loss to lightweight champion Ilia Topuria.
Even after 16 years in MMA, Holloway still isn't looking for a soft landing.
