Conor McGregor and Max Holloway were once two peas in the featherweight pod. Years later, McGregor hasn’t fought in MMA for a long time, Holloway holds the 145-pound title and they are still beefing…
Cast your minds back to 2013, Conor McGregor and Max Holloway were two red-hot prospects in the UFC’s 145-pound division. Fighting on the undercard of the UFC: Boston card, McGregor went the distance with the always tough Holloway.
It was the Irishman who claimed the decision victory on the night, but the fight has always been one fans wanted to see again. Once ‘The Notorious’ won the title at UFC 194, the second go-around with ‘Blessed’ became a real possibility.
It was, however, a short-lived idea as McGregor jumped up in weight and never returned to featherweight. Holloway continued to compile a record-breaking 12-fight win streak, defeating Aldo twice in his most recent outings.
Not surprisingly, McGregor and Holloway have started trading shots again.
Holloway and McGregor Still At It
During a recent interview on The MMA Hour, Holloway said McGregor wouldn’t want to risk taking a rematch. The comments spurred a further social media war, one which McGregor has taken up a level.
Holloway’s comments, followed by McGregor’s viral response:
“It already showed that he can lose to Nate and he can still hold this championship level mindset to his peers and to his fans versus if he comes to fight me and he loses, then his fairy tale is done,” Holloway said. “His ‘champ champ’, this whole ‘mystic’ thing is done, that’s over with, and that’s the kind of person that I think he is. I don’t think he wants to risk that, especially against a guy like me,” he concluded.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BfR5ONZnzAx/?hl=en&taken-by=thenotoriousmma
This was just moments after I tore my ACL in a fight in Boston Massachusetts.
It was when I faced off against the current featherweight champion Max Holloway, who I dismantled before and after this ligament tear, to win a lopsided victory.It was father against son in there that night in just my second UFC bout. Young Max is a hell of a fighter, I wonder what the future holds for my young Uce.
Ouch, it doesn’t get much more condescending than calling a former opponent your son. McGregor’s torn ACL in the Holloway fight might have hindered his performance, truthfully we will never know.
One Thing is For Sure
Holloway is the man to beat at 145 pounds and nobody has been able to since McGregor. There’s no doubt McGregor will never fight at featherweight again, but Holloway may be forced to move up to lightweight due to new USADA weight cutting rules.
Watch this space.
