Max Holloway is not ruling out a fourth fight with UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski.
Although Holloway (23-7 MMA, 19-7 UFC) has lost to Volkanovski (25-2 MMA, 12-1 UFC) three times, most recently at UFC 276 this past July, the former champion still thinks it’s possible for the pair to meet a fourth time.
Their first two outings were close, and Holloway and many others thought he won the rematch at UFC 251. But when they squared off the third time, Volkanovski shut him out, and Holloway offers zero excuses.
“He was just the better man that night,” Holloway told ESPN. “He looked super good, he felt super good in there, and that’s just it. Dogs (have) got their days. That was his day that day, and we’ll go from there. We’ll see what happens. Never say never.
“A lot of people are like, ‘It’s hard to get a fourth with him – there’s a lot of things that need to happen.’ I’m like, you could tell me whatever it is, I’m not even supposed to be here. I was never, ever supposed to be a UFC champion at any point in my career, supposedly. So at the end of the day, don’t count it out.”
Outside of his three losses to Volkanovski, Holloway has cleared out most of the division – including a win over current interim champion Yair Rodriguez in November 2021.
“Me and that man (Volkanovski), we’re in the division,” Holloway said. “There’s somebody (Rodriguez) that is one ranking above me that I won before I lost that last one. MMA is a wild sport – anything can happen. Don’t be surprised if you see a fourth with the dude, because I wouldn’t be.”
As he looks to earn another shot at Volkanovski, Holloway has to get past surging contender Arnold Allen (19-1 MMA, 10-0 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 44 headliner at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo. The main card airs on ESPN following prelims on ESPN+.
“We’re not that far off,” Holloway said. “If it’s at ’45, if it’s at ’55, (Volkanovski and I) might run it back. But first things first, I’ve got to do my job. I’ve got to keep winning. He’s got to do his job. He’s got to keep winning, and we’ll go from there.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 44.
Max Holloway not counting out fourth fight with Alexander Volkanovski: ‘Never say never’