LOS ANGELES – Max Holloway is willing to compete at just about any weight class.
The UFC featherweight champion has a tough time making the 145-pound limit, and certainly sees himself moving up in weight in the future – possibly all the way up to 185 pounds.
“I don’t know about holding belts all at one time, this and that, but nobody really got three yet,” Holloway said at a Thursday media event. “So 170, I could see myself … I just turned 28, I can see myself maybe going to (1)85, being healthy, and getting strong there. I’ve got five, six more years in this sport. Who knows? I might pull a ‘DC’ (Daniel Cormier) on you guys and fight to 40.
“I’m a Polynesian/Hawaiian/Samoan, and I’m probably the smallest Samoan/Hawaiian you guys see. So I think the weight issue is not a problem. This is about getting in the gym, getting the weights, and actually packing on the muscle.”
Holloway has racked up quite a resume at featherweight. He hasn’t lost at 145 pounds since a unanimous decision setback to Conor McGregor in 2013 and has run through the division since then.
Holloway’s idea of being the best fighter in the world entails competing at whichever weight class includes the top talent. He may have failed in his first attempt to capture the interim lightweight title against Dustin Poirier at UFC 236, but the goal remains the same.
“I want to be the best mixed martial artist in the world, and being the best mixed martial artist is not a guy who stays in his weight and dominates his weight,” Holloway said. “It is someone who’s willing to go at whatever weight. So whatever’s the best guys, whoever’s the best guy in the world … you guys tell me. I’ve got a couple of belts I want to fight for.”
For now, Holloway (21-4 MMA, 17-4 UFC) will look to continue his dominance in the featherweight division, when takes on Alexander Volkanovski (20-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC) at UFC 245 on Dec. 14, looking to notch his fourth title defense.
Max Holloway can see himself moving all the way up to middleweight when he's older
