UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev is open to fighting Max Holloway following his win over Conor McGregor at UFC 329.
Holloway picked up arguably the biggest win of his Hall of Fame UFC career to date when he finished McGregor via first-round injury TKO in the main event of UFC 329. While the fight ended in an anticlimactic manner, as McGregor lost due to a knee injury, there is no doubt that it’s a huge win on paper for Holloway as he looks to forge a path forward in his MMA career.
It’s also worth noting that the McGregor fight took place in the UFC welterweight division, where Makhachev is currently the champion. And the champ is open to fighting him.
Islam Makhachev Interested in Fighting Max Holloway
Speaking to Submission Radio following UFC 329, Makhachev’s longtime coach at American Kickboxing Academy, Javier Mendez, said that Team Makhachev is very open to fighting Holloway at welterweight, should the former UFC featherweight champion choose to continue competing at 170 lbs.
“Whatever the UFC wants to do, Islam’s going to say yes and Max is a legend and he doesn’t back down from anybody… You can’t cross Max out in any competition because he’s game. Whether he does well or not, well, I don’t know. But, he’s game for it so you can’t ever cross him out. He’s got the mind of a warrior and the mindset of a champion so he’s up for any challenge I feel,” Mendez said (via Bloody Elbow).
Team Makhachev Disappointed Conor McGregor Lost
While Mendez is intrigued by the possibility of Makhachev fighting Holloway, he couldn’t help but share his disappointment in not getting a fight against McGregor, as the coach knows his student was in line for an absolutely massive payday had Makhachev fought McGregor. But with McGregor losing to Holloway, the chances of it ever happening now are slim to none.
“Bummer. I mean I wanted that fight because look, listen, we as coaches, we live for those moments to have an opportunity to be with something like that, that magnitude. I’ve been fortunate enough to have quite a few of them so to have another mega fight like that around the corner potentially, that would have been a great honor,” Mendez said.
Makhachev returns to the Octagon at UFC 330 on August 15 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, when he defends his UFC welterweight title belt against rival Ian Machado Garry.
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