Max Holloway Slams Dana White & UFC Over Featherweight Ranking After Ilia Topuria Update

“155 is where I want to stay. This is a new chapter. This is where we start. I’m probably not ever going back to 145,” declared former UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway last year. After getting put to sleep by Ilia Topuria in their UFC 308 title clash, Max doubled down on his stance—he wasn’t cutting to 145 ever again. He didn’t want to give up his favorite food, “ramen,” and made that crystal clear. But for many, that reason felt more like a cover-up for the toll of age and those grueling weight cuts.

Now 33, and entering the twilight of his career, ‘Blessed’s direction seemed set. Yet somehow, Dana White and company have stirred up confusion once more. The UFC’s latest rankings list Ilia Topuria, who has moved up to take the lightweight spotlight, but bizarrely, Max Holloway remains the No. 1 featherweight contender.

That’s especially ironic, considering Holloway is currently gearing up for a lightweight BMF trilogy bout against Dustin Poirier at UFC 318 in just a few weeks. Understandably, the entire situation has left Max fuming. He didn’t hold back, blasting Dana White over the baffling rankings shuffle.

Max Holloway frustrated with Dana White as Ilia Topuria’s shift exposes ranking mess

Last year, following UFC 308—even before Ilia Topuria officially announced his move to lightweight—Max Holloway had already made his stance clear. Since then, the UFC removed ‘El Matador’ from the featherweight rankings, and he has since emerged as a rising star in the lightweight division.

Ironically, it’s Max Holloway who now finds himself listed as the No. 1 contender at 145 lbs—despite having no intention whatsoever of returning to featherweight. Frustrated by the oversight, the Hawaiian recently sat down with Mike Bohn and didn’t hold back—calling the situation “ridiculous” and openly criticizing Dana White for failing to update the rankings.

That said, Dana White and the UFC might have their reasons. Throughout his career, Max Holloway has earned respect for bouncing between featherweight and lightweight—consistently proving his skill in both divisions. He’s fought at lightweight more than once: first in his rematch with Dustin Poirier, and most notably at UFC 300, where he delivered one of the most iconic knockouts in UFC history—putting Justin Gaethje to sleep in the final seconds of the fight.

Given that history, it’s possible the UFC is simply keeping their options open. They might believe that if ‘Blessed’ falls short in his upcoming lightweight trilogy fight against ‘The Diamond’, he could still consider a return to 145.

Max Holloway opens up on potential retirement timeline before UFC 318

While most people his age were wrapping up college, Max Holloway was already stepping into the UFC spotlight. At just 20 years old, he made his promotional debut on short notice against a seasoned, 5-fight UFC veteran—Dustin Poirier. Poirier used his experience that night to lock in an armbar and submit the young Hawaiian. But that early setback was just the beginning. ‘Blessed’ quickly carved out a name for himself with his relentless pressure, rock-solid chin, and elite striking.

From 2014 to 2018, Max went on an incredible 13-fight win streak, capturing the UFC Featherweight Championship and defending it multiple times. Yet, despite all his accomplishments, Dustin Poirier remained the one man he couldn’t solve—handing him another loss in their 2019 rematch.

Now, as Poirier prepares for what’s expected to be his final walk to the Octagon, for Max Holloway, retirement may not be far off. In a recent interview with Taisei while discussing HOLITYW pills, he opened up about his future in the sport.

Max Holloway said, “I would like to fight. I’m like, as long as… To me, my fighting career is going to go as long as I can straight compete with the top echelon. ..as long as I can keep my body healthy. Ideally, maybe, if I could tell you right now, I think I’d have two more years, so maybe four fights, maybe five fights, two, three more years. But we see what happens. Anything change.”

That suggests Holloway is eyeing more fights at the top tier, possibly even a return to featherweight if circumstances evolve. Meanwhile, Dustin Poirier admitted being “blindsided” when UFC matched him vs Holloway instead of Justin Gaethje, whom he preferred as a finale opponent

With UFC 318 fast approaching, one major question hangs in the air: Can Max Holloway finally even the score with Dustin Poirier, or will ‘The Diamond’ close out the trilogy with a dominant 3-0 sweep? Drop your predictions below