Max Holloway added another epic chapter to his storied MMA career Saturday night, successfully defending his BMF title with a unanimous decision victory over longtime rival Dustin Poirier in the main event of UFC 318 in Louisiana.
The 33-year-old from Waiʻanae, delivered a vintage performance, avenging two prior losses to Poirier and becoming the first fighter in UFC history to defend the prestigious BMF belt.
“This sport is about moments,” Holloway said following the bout. “I’m glad I got this one. Now we see what happens next.”
What could be next is a rematch with Ilia Topuria, the current lightweight champion and the only fighter to knock Holloway out. Topuria has taunted Holloway with a replica BMF belt ever since their featherweight title bout in 2024, which the Georgian won. Since then, Topuria vacated the featherweight title and claimed gold at 155 pounds.
“If it’s Ilia, it’s Ilia,” Holloway said. “The guy he just beat [Charles] Oliveira, and I’ve got history with a bunch of the top guys at lightweight. There are a lot of fun fights for me there.”
UFC President Dana White praised Holloway’s performance and momentum.
“I think he’s in a great position right now,” White said. “He’s got the BMF title. He’s ranked No. 4 in the world. Anything is possible for Max right now.”
When asked whether Topuria deserves a true BMF title shot after his antics, Holloway didn’t hold back.
“For sure,” he said. “But come on, walking around with a BMF belt that wasn’t on the line? That’s crazy. You don’t see Islam [Makhachev] walking around with a belt after beating [Alexander] Volkanovski twice. Get over it, brother.”
With the win, Holloway continues to cement his legacy:
He now owns 23 career UFC victories, second-most in company history behind Jim Miller.
His 8 hours, 27 minutes, and 43 seconds of UFC fight time trails only Rafael dos Anjos (8:43:19).
Holloway has landed 3,655 significant strikes in UFC competition, the most ever.
He’s also the all-time leader in total strikes landed (3,907).
His 17 UFC fights with 100 or more significant strikes is a record; no other fighter has more than 10.
For now, “Blessed” is back on top, and fans are already clamoring for the next ride on the Blessed Express.