UFC 300: Max Holloway is a legend in his own time

In a fight Holloway entered as a moderate underdog 'Blessed' turned in a remarkable performance.

Fans who have been around a minute will remember the last time Max Holloway tried the lightweight experiment with startling clarity. It was the heart of the ‘Blessed Era’, Holloway, in absolute command of the featherweight division, took his talents to 155. The prize on offer? An interim lightweight title, as long as he could beat Dustin Poirier to get it.

Unfortunately for the Hawaiian, it was more a breakout moment for the ‘Diamond’ than a shining example of Holloway at his best. Fresh off his victory over Brian Ortega, Holloway tried to implement his trademark pressure and volume game. Every time it seemed he might get rolling, however, Poirier would land something hard and clean that would have the then-27-year-old on his heels looking to regroup.

Holloway left the fight with his featherweight belt still in hand, but no second title, no new piece added to his legacy. And little did he know, but what prizes he still had to his name were soon to be taken from him by the fast rising Alexander Volkanovski.

In 2024, with only seemingly a questionable path to the title in his longtime division in front of him, Holloway decided to take another run at lightweight glory—against an even bigger puncher than Poirier. It seemed like an ill advised experiment considering the way things went the first time.