It’s a result that didn’t surprise a lot of MMA fans, but it certainly caught people’s attention given how similar it was to their first encounter.
The Hawaiian sensation managed to completely neutralise every attacking threat that the Brazilian threw at him, and now, we’re left to wonder whether there’s anyone within his weight class that can realistically challenge him.
Logically speaking the winner of Swanson vs Ortega will be in the running, but all eyes will still be on Frankie Edgar who was initially supposed to take Max on at Little Caesars Arena until an injury put him on the sidelines.
Edgar has had his eyes set on another shot at the belt ever since losing to the aforementioned Aldo back at UFC 200, and now, it seems as if we’re going full speed ahead with the long-awaited Holloway vs Frankie showdown.
One of the things that makes Max so accessible to fans and media members alike is that he brings a fresh mentality to being a UFC champion, and he doesn’t focus solely on the idea of ‘money fights’. Of course, there’s no problem with wanting to make money in this business, but sometimes it’s important to always welcome the next challenger – as judged fairly by the rankings.
Highly respected MMA journalist Luke Thomas noted that Holloway’s ability to defeat Aldo for a second time, in a completely unique way to the first, is what truly separates him from the rest of the field in the present day.
Some back and forth jibes between himself and former opponent Conor McGregor has led many fans to believe that the Irishman will come back down to featherweight in order to challenge Max, but in reality, McGregor doesn’t seem all that interested in even returning to the octagon.
He’s proven in the past that he can beat Holloway, but the 26-year-old has come a long way since that meeting. In fact, some would argue that Holloway would actually be the favourite if they threw down for the second time.
Featherweight isn’t the strongest division by any stretch of the imagination but Max is certainly doing well to fly the flag as their champion, and under his capable leadership, the Blessed Era could be one of the best that the UFC has seen in a long time.
