Max Holloway responds to Gaethje’s rematch call. Max Holloway is not buying Justin Gaethje’s explanation for why he believes their rivalry is already settled.
Following Gaethje’s stunning victory over Ilia Topuria at the historic UFC White House event the newly crowned undisputed lightweight champion suggested that defeating Topuria was enough to erase the memory of his devastating knockout loss to Holloway at UFC 300. Holloway, however, sees things very differently. “Max definitely knocked me out,” Gaethje told Jim Rome “But I feel like I got that win back with the Ilia Topuria fight.” While Holloway does have a past loss to Topuria at featherweight, he’s still not sure exactly how Gaethje’s MMA math works out.
“I saw [Justin Gaethje] saying, too, and I had no idea about if you [get a win] somebody [else], you beat them,” Holloway, appearing on behalf of Stake, told MMA Fighting. “Technically, I beat Conor McGregor because I bust Dustin [Poirier], if that’s what he’s saying. At the end of the day, all jokes aside, it is what it is.” As far as Gaethje becoming the first person to hand Topuria a loss, Holloway had nothing but praise for that gutsy performance. If anything, the former UFC featherweight champion was actually a little shocked that so many people believed Gaethje had no chance whatsoever to pull off the upset.
“People counting Justin out, I was tripping out,” Holloway said. “I didn’t have Justin winning but I thought if Justin could win, he would have to do it that way. I thought he was going to have kicks more involved but he did it with his hands. He proved me wrong. He went out there and did his thing. It’s always crazy to see when this one person in the sport has this unbeatable [aura] around them and people just think they’re [unbeatable] and somebody comes out and [does] it.
“Congrats to Justin. He went out there, he looked good, he stuck to his game plan. He fought really smart. He took calculated risks. It paid off. Even surviving that body shot. What a demon. Congrats to the champ.” “At the end of the day, that fight of course it’s right there,” Holloway said. “It’s dangling right in front of him. “I’m focused on doing what I’ve got to do, get my hand raised in great fashion come July 11. Whatever way the UFC wants to go, we go. UFC’s crazy. Look at the fights they put on, look at what they’re able to do. If you told me I was going to fight Conor McGregor after my last fight, you’re crazy but we’re here now. Days away. I can’t wait.”
Regardless of Gaethje’s comments, Holloway believes there’s unfinished business between them. Their unforgettable clash at UFC 300 produced one of the greatest knockouts in UFC history, with Holloway inviting Gaethje to trade punches in the closing seconds before landing the knockout with just one second remaining. That iconic finish remains one of the defining moments of both men’s careers. Now, with Gaethje holding the undisputed lightweight championship and Holloway on the verge of another marquee fight, a rematch appears more meaningful than ever.
Whether the UFC decides to book it next may depend entirely on what happens when Holloway steps into the Octagon against McGregor at UFC 329. Until then, Holloway isn’t interested in debating hypothetical victories, he believes the only results that truly matter are the ones earned against the fighter standing directly across from you.
