Max Holloway's nine consecutive wins is the longest streak in the featherweight division. His last loss was to featherweight champion Conor McGregor in Aug. 2013, and a winning streak of that magnitude should get you a shot at the title, many say.
McGregor's last two fights have taken place at welterweight against Nate Diaz, with McGregor winning by majority decision most recently at UFC 202. The UFC decided to book an interim title fight between former champ Jose Aldo and Frankie Edgar at UFC 200 in the mean time, which Aldo won by unanimous decision.
UFC President Dana White said in the lead-up to UFC 202 that McGregor would face Aldo next. Yet during his UFC 202 post-fight press conference, McGregor stated he didn't see the point of an immediate fight against Aldo since he knocked him out in 13 seconds at UFC 194. That seemed to open the door for Holloway to get what many feel he deserves. But in an interview this past week with Combate, Aldo said he would prefer to take a fight against former lightweight champ Anthony Pettis instead of Holloway.
"There's an outbreak in the UFC. An outbreak of p--sy—itis," Holloway said when speaking to FOX Sports. "A lot of (expletive) guys. You tell me what the hell is going on with the UFC. I'm just as blown as you are right now. He's over here talking about business. You want to talk about business? The money fight in the 45 division right now of course is Conor but they keep talking him fighting Eddie Alvarez. There's one guy left, you want to talk about the money fight, talk about me. Talk about Max Holloway."
When it appeared McGregor and Aldo would clash, Holloway thought about a fight against Pettis since the newest marquee 145-pound fighter called him out on Twitter. Since McGregor appears to be in line to fight lightweight champ Eddie Alvarez, and Aldo is trying to angle himself to battle Pettis, Holloway is no longer biting his tongue.
"There comes a time when you have to put your foot down, it's time to put your foot down," Holloway said. "So many people trying to get easy fights. If I was Jose or I was Conor, I wouldn't fight me either. I would not. I say this and then I think 'oh no I would' because I want the (expletive) hardest fights. I don't want easy fights. I don't want no shortcuts. So many people nowadays trying to do shortcuts. (Expletive) your shortcuts. I'm over here fighting the damn best guys in the (expletive) world. My last four or five guys I fought, they're all still ranked. I'm just (expletive) pissed off and fired up. Nobody wants it. Everybody acts like they want it until they're locked in the cage with me and they find out soon enough what the hell is going on."
Thus far, neither Holloway, Aldo, Pettis, McGregor or Alvarez are officially booked.
