“I recommend him to use a helmet. Maybe I’m gonna point to the ground,” said Ilia Topuria as he warned Max Holloway not to replicate what he did to Justin Gaethje at UFC 300. The featherweight champion of the world will be defending his title against Holloway in the main event of UFC 308, Abu Dhabi. ‘͏͏Bl͏es͏͏͏s͏ed͏͏͏’ ͏delivered ͏a ͏pe͏rfo͏r͏ma͏͏nce at͏ ͏UFC 300 t͏h͏a͏͏t͏ ͏s͏͏h͏ocked͏ the ͏wo͏rld͏, knock͏in͏͏g͏ out Ju͏s͏ti͏͏n G͏͏a͏et͏hje ͏͏in ͏t͏he fi͏͏n͏͏͏a͏͏l͏ s͏e͏cond of ͏t͏he l͏as͏t ͏͏r͏o͏und to ͏͏cli͏͏nch t͏he ‘BMF͏’ t͏itle. He ͏h͏͏as now ͏prom͏ised to͏͏ inc͏r͏ea͏͏s͏͏e͏ ͏the͏͏ int͏e͏͏͏n͏s͏ity͏ ev͏en more ͏͏i͏͏n his ͏͏next f͏igh͏t.͏͏

When Topuria clinched the victory against Alexander Volkanovski to claim the 145 lbs title, he assured that Max Holloway would not get a chance to reclaim the belt but his performance at UFC 300 forced the UFC as well as Topuria to give a chance to the Hawaiian to go for the title. Regardless, let us have a look at what the fighter has said about his upcoming fight.

Max Holloway promises a banger performance at UFC 308 against Ilia Topuria

The͏ ͏fo͏rmer͏ feath͏͏e͏rwe͏ight champi͏͏on ͏was͏ ͏u͏n͏sto͏ppa͏bl͏e u͏͏ntil he ͏me͏t Al͏exa͏nder͏ ͏Volkano͏͏͏v͏s͏ki. Max͏ H͏͏o͏llowa͏y͏ f͏ought͏ ͏‘The Gr͏͏ea͏t͏’ three ͏tim͏es ͏in h͏i͏s͏ ͏care͏er but unfortu͏nate͏ly was ͏͏defeated o͏n each occasi͏on. I͏t’s wo͏rth not͏ing that in the la͏st d͏ecade, no one ha͏s manag͏ed͏ ͏to͏ defeat Ho͏llo͏way͏ ex͏cept fo͏͏r ͏V͏͏olkan͏o͏vs͏ki. H͏is cla͏sh͏ against͏ Jus͏tin Gaethj͏e sho͏wc͏͏a͏͏s͏e͏d ͏hi͏s͏ pro͏wess͏ in the lightwei͏ght ͏d͏iv͏i͏sion, ͏a͏s ͏͏he͏ b͏e͏came͏ ͏the only p͏erson t͏o͏ knock͏ out ‘Hig͏hlight’͏͏͏ insi͏de t͏he͏ Octago͏n.͏ ͏Now͏, ͏w͏i͏th mome͏ntum͏ o͏n his ͏sid͏e, Ho͏lloway has͏ a͏sser͏ted ͏that h͏is pe͏r͏fo͏rm͏an͏͏ce against͏ I͏li͏a Topu͏r͏ia͏ w͏͏ill͏ ͏be even mor͏e ͏phenomenal͏ than a͏͏t ͏UF͏C 3͏00.͏͏͏͏

During a recent promotional video for UFC 308, Max Holloway promised his fans that he would provide them with entertainment that would surpass most of his other performances, “Every fight camp, it’s me vs me. I got to go out there and I’ll outdo myself in every fight camp, you know? Everybody thought UFC 300 was amazing, wait till they get to see the outcome of UFC 308. It’s going to be a good one,” said Holloway.

It should be noted that the Hawaiian fighter has a motto: to deliver a better performance than his last. However, getting past Topuria is no easy task, as the young Spanish fighter remains undefeated and boasts a finishing rate of 86%. Holloway has the weight of all the expectations on his back and to perform at such a large stage under such a burden is a huge task.

Well, despite the immense pressure, the current bantamweight champion, Sean O’Malley believes that Max Holloway has what it takes to get past ‘El Matador’, let’s have a look at what ‘Suga’ has to say about the epic clash.

Sean O’Malley anticipates a victory for Holloway

The undisputed bantamweight champion has stated that Max Holloway has what it takes to defeat Ilia Topuria. While having a conversation with Michael Bisping on the Believe Me You Podcast, O’Malley was asked about his professional take on the super-fight, to which the bantamweight champ stated, “I think Max gets the job done.”

He further added, “I saw Ilia say the BMF title wasn’t on the line.” O’Malley further emphasized that he has a plan to be the next BMF title holder, “Max goes out there, wins forty-five, BMF champ. I move up, I beat Max, I’m the BMF, thirty-five, forty-five. Max for me is probably if I’m looking at the 35 and 45-pound division, I think Max Holloway is one of the hardest opponents for me in the division, in both divisions.”

O’Malley is looking at an eventual ‘champ champ’ opportunity but he has his work cut out for him at bantamweight. If he can get past Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306, then he would likely be pitted against the undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov next. If ‘Suga’ can keep his momentum going against the bantamweight elite, then a 145 lbs title bout might not be out of the question. Why? Because if Holloway wins the 145 lbs title, he does not have too many contenders at 145 lbs left.

While Volkanovksi was reigning supreme, Holloway was playing gatekeeper, beating everyone else, making himself undeniable. 3-0 down in title fights against Volkanovski, he took on Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 for the BMF bout. So Sean O’Malley at Featherweight would definitely be a fresh matchup for ‘Blessed.’ If Topuria wins in Abu Dhabi in October, O’Malley can still go after the featherweight title since the pair have an ongoing rivalry.

Regardless, what’s your take on Max Holloway’s statement? Do you think ‘Blessed’ has what it takes to defeat Ilia Topuria? State your thoughts in the comments below.