Over a decade ago, while still finding his footing in the murky waters of the UFC, Max Holloway proudly proclaimed himself the ‘best striker in the world.’ “I go around telling myself I’m the best striker in the world,” he said at the time. “Not in the division—in the world. I could go and fight any kickboxer, I don’t care… I want to prove I’m the best striker, and that’s just how I feel. It’s confidence.” But as the saying goes, time and battles take a toll on every fighter. Although he reached the sport’s highest levels, winning a title along the way, Holloway eventually reached the summit, where Ilia Topuria was waiting to push him off.

Max Holloway had suffered losses before. But no one had ever knocked him out. That changed last year when Ilia Topuria flattened him during his first title defense as featherweight champion. The loss not only denied Holloway the chance to reclaim the belt he hasn’t held since 2019 but also dented his long-standing reputation as the UFC’s premier striker. It’s a night the Hawaiian star would love to forget. Yet fans continue to prod him into reliving that dreadful moment in Abu Dhabi. One such instance drew an immediate backlash.

Ilia Topuria’s left hook still haunts Max Holloway

Happy Punch shared footage on Instagram showing Holloway answering fan questions. One in particular clearly irritated him. A fan asked him to explain why he lost to Ilia Topuria. Firing back, Holloway first checked whether the fan had even watched the UFC 308 main event. If they had, he argued, they wouldn’t be asking something so obvious.

“Got caught, Motherf**ker. Done caught me, bro. The f**k? Did you not watch the fight? Motherf**ker hit me with a left hook,” Holloway shot back. The next question was even stranger. He was asked to name the hardest hitter he had ever faced.

For the former champion, who turns 34 next week, the answer is hardly a mystery. There’s no debating how Topuria’s left hook landed in the final seconds of the third round. “If you watched it, then there’s your answer. Got hit with something, and that’s what happens,” Holloway said.

It wasn’t particularly the line of questions Max Holloway loved to see on his desk.

Topuria struck where Holloway least expected

Interestingly, his famed opponent had already questioned Holloway’s claims of being the UFC’s best striker. Ahead of their bout, a confident Topuria twisted the knife at UFC 308 media day, downplaying Holloway’s self-proclaimed status as the promotion’s top boxer.

Topuria acknowledged that Holloway is good. But he is far from the best boxer in the UFC, he insisted, calling the claim embarrassing. He credited Holloway’s experience and patience, but argued that Max looks elite only when allowed to dictate his pace. According to Topuria, Holloway excels when he can build his rhythm, but pressure disrupts his entire style.

After the Topuria loss, Holloway bounced back and defended his BMF title against Dustin Poirier. But unlike his past dominant wins, this time the fight went the full distance. Meanwhile, Topuria continued strengthening his resume with a first-round knockout of former champion Charles Oliveira.

Perhaps the more important question now is whether Holloway still has what it takes to reclaim his once-illustrious status. And if he does, maybe fans’ attempts to poke at the old wound will eventually lose their sting.

What do you think? Who, in your opinion, is the best striker in the UFC today?