At UFC 318, Max Holloway cemented his BMF status by closing out his trilogy against Dustin Poirier with a unanimous decision victory. But just weeks later, another name has stepped forward, aiming to challenge the Hawaiian’s self-proclaimed title as the “best boxer in the UFC.” In fact, it’s not a rising prospect, it’s his wife, Alessa!

In a recent post on Instagram, Alessa shared a clip of herself working the heavy bag with the caption, “My love @blessedmma helping me out with bag drillz yessahhhh.” She starts simple, a crisp one-two, then strings together more shots, finding a rhythm that would make any striking coach nod in approval.

And for anyone who’s followed their relationship, it fits right in with the way they’ve always mixed love, competition, and a little friendly trash talk. After all, it’s not the first time the tables have turned in the Holloway household. A few months ago, Max and Alessa were visiting South Korea, where they were hosted by ‘Blessed’s friend and past opponent, Chan Sung Jung, better known as ‘The Korean Zombie.’

During their time in the country, they visited an arcade punching machine, and the video quickly went viral online. Max beat Zombie. The crowd laughed. Then Alessa, a pro surfer, stepped up and outscored Max, and everyone attending lost it. For all the highlight reels of Holloway’s title fights, that might have been one of the most unexpected knockouts of his career, and the fans clearly haven’t forgotten either!

But their dynamic goes deeper than viral moments. Back in 2024, Alessa shared an Instagram video of her and ‘Blessed’ training in what appears to be their garage with the caption, “What I prefer instead of flowers lol. When max can take some time out to hold mits for me. He may not know it, but when I ask if he can hold mits it’s prolly cause I need to blow off some steam. Especially when he’s in fight camp. It motivates me to be like him lol.”

It’s their version of quality time: him teaching, her pushing herself, both of them feeding off each other’s energy. And as a professional surfer, she knows the grind, the pressure, the split-second decisions under physical strain. Now, with this latest bag work clip making the rounds, the “best boxer” jokes are in full swing, as we take a look at what netizens had to say!

Max Holloway’s wife leaves the fans stunned with her boxing skills, drawing high praise

One fan wrote, “the best boxer in the house is NOT Max guys it’s Alessa.” This sentiment blew up almost immediately, with others chiming in that Max Holloway‘s crown had officially been stolen. It’s playful banter, sure, but it also nods to the sharp technique Alessa put on display. That one-two combination in the video? Clean, fast, and balanced!

Another commented, “Max may be the best boxer in MMA but not the best in his house.” This is the kind of jab that’s impossible for fans to resist. Holloway’s boxing reputation is legendary in the UFC, from his dismantling of Calvin Kattar to his volume striking against José Aldo!

One fan recalled, “People forget man, she beat Max on the punch machine.” A callback to the aforementioned South Korea trip. It’s become a little piece of Holloway lore, the time he lost a power-punch contest not to a rival fighter, but to his wife!

Another fan joked, “if u want high level wrestling send urself 2 3 year dagestan and forget.” A clear reference to Islam Makhachev‘s now iconic piece of advice to Daniel Cormier, if Alessa wants to round out her game, maybe Dagestani wrestling should be the next piece of the puzzle. What do you think?

And finally, one fan pointed out, “Strikings getting better from previous videos. And NEWWWWWW” And honestly, they’re not wrong, her progress is obvious when compared to older clips she’s posted on Instagram. The rhythm is smoother, the power’s more pronounced, and the combinations flow without hesitation.

So, whether it’s in the gym, at the arcade, or on Instagram, Max and Alessa Holloway seem to thrive on this mix of competition and camaraderie. And if this latest clip proves anything, it’s that the “best boxer” debate in the Holloway household isn’t getting settled anytime soon!