Max Holloway plans to move back down to the featherweight division to fight current champion Ilia Topuria next after KO’ing Justin Gaethje in stunning fashion at UFC 300 on Saturday night, and it seems his rival is on-board with the idea.
“I’m him, I’m him guys,” Holloway had said in the Octagon after his win, before turning his attention to Topuria. “There’s an ‘El Matador’, he is running away from a Bull at 145lbs, tell him to sign the damn contract. Spain, Hawaii, wherever.”
Topuria has since responded and appears to be more than happy to lock horns with him.
“Congrats on your performance Max,” Topuria wrote on X. “Respect your story and everything you achieved with a beautiful family . Hopefully we gonna share the octagon before the end of the year and trust me you gonna feel something that you never felt before . I will be the first one to take your lights out . Philippians 4:13.”
“It’s all love champ. I’ll be seeing you soon. Jeremiah 51:20,” Holloway responded while referencing being the ‘Battle-axe of the lord.’
Meanwhile, current lightweight champion Islam Makhachev was one of the many fighters to congratulate Holloway on his jaw-dropping last-second finish, while also offering some words of consolation to Gaethje.
“Justin is a warrior, keep your head up champ! Spectacular performance by Max, congrats,” Makhachev wrote.
Holloway has also expressed interest in fighting Makhachev too, though it seems like Topuria is his top priority for the time being.
