What’s the story?
UFC Interim Featherweight Champion Max Holloway has accomplished his life-long dream by becoming a UFC champion, as he defeated former Lightweight Champion Anthony ‘Showtime’ Pettis in the third round of their title bout at UFC 206.
The win set up a bout between Holloway and undisputed 145-pound champ Jose Aldo, but certain issues from both sides have kept the fight from happening. During a recent interview, courtesy of Bloody Elbow, Holloway has vowed he would defend his Interim Featherweight title 10 times before facing Aldo if he needs to.
In case you didn’t know...
Aldo was once the undisputed Champion after not having lost for almost a decade, but then the heavy-handed Irishman Conor McGregor came along and ended Aldo’s reign in only 13 seconds.
After capturing the interim Featherweight champion at UFC 200 after defeating Frankie Edgar in a decisive unanimous decision win, Aldo would later be promoted to the spot of undisputed Champion after McGregor was stripped of his title.
The heart of the matter
Here’s what Holloway had to say about his undisputed featherweight title reign on MMA Junkie Radio:
“I’m not going to wait around. I’ll defend the interim title 10 times if I have to. I’d love to fight (Frankie) Edgar. I’d take that fight in a heartbeat. Former champion, back on his win streak, he fought Aldo, and if I can do my thing and win the fight convincingly, (I will) prove to people (I deserve the belt). I’m not trying to race through the division; I’m trying to clean out the division.”
On the topic of Aldo fighting him to unify the belt, Holloway said:
“He has a better chance of showing up to a soccer game. So next contract, I’m going to tell them, put (on Aldo’s contract that) you’re playing at a soccer game, but you need to show up to make this weight. He’s going to show up that way. When he signs a contract, I have a better chance of winning on red or black than him showing up to the fight.”
What next?
The only fight that makes sense in terms of the 145-pound title picture is a bout between Holloway and Aldo, in order to see exactly who is the true champion at 145 pounds. The match-up is an amazingly interesting one given Aldo’s dominance and Holloway’s young aggressive style.
Sportskeeda’s take:
Aldo and Holloway will definitely face off as there is no other fight the UFC could make without either man dropping their titles, with the exception of a return by Conor McGregor. If these two do finally collide, it has the potential to be Fight Of The Year and leave MMA fans having witnessed one of the best contests of all time.
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