Is Max Holloway From Hawaii? Ethnicity, Religion & Samoan Heritage

Max Holloway is among the greatest featherweights to ever enter an octagon. Calling him a fan-favorite in the promotion wouldn’t be unjustified, given how big of a star he’s become in the past decade. Also, for being one of the most dangerous people in the world, Holloway is remarkably laid back and down-to-earth, compared to some of the other fighters on the UFC roster.

Along with his innate disposition, some amount of credit for his placid nature should undoubtedly go to his Hawaiian roots and Samoan ancestry. The 33-year-old is gearing up for his trilogy bout against Dustin Poirier in the latter’s retirement fight at UFC 318 with the BMF title on the line. With just a few days to go before the PPV, let us take a look at Max Holloway’s family and background.

Where is Max Holloway from? Ethnicity & Religion

Max Holloway was born in 1991 in Honolulu on the picturesque island of Hawaii. The 33-year-old comes from mixed native Hawaiian and Samoan ancestry, and he is quite proud of his roots. As a Hawaiian, Holloway, of course, holds an American nationality. But his home island holds a special place in his heart.

He has, on many occasions, chosen to fight under the Hawaiian flag rather than the US flag as a way to honor the archipelago he hails from. Holloway grew up in the area of Waianae, which is famous throughout the islands for its culture of fist fighting, and this undoubtedly shapes his warrior spirit.

The native Hawaiians, who are Indigenous Polynesians, emphasize the values of love, peace, and mutual understanding encompassed in the famous Hawaiian word, ‘Aloha’. Holloway always stays true to these teachings and values, which is apparent given how much of a respectful athlete he really is, and prefers to stay out of any sort of controversy.

Well, now that we’ve established the details surrounding his roots, it’s time to look at another aspect of his personal life. So, let’s take a look at what we know about the BMF champion’s religious beliefs and affiliation. 

Is Max Holloway a Christian?

Just like most people on the island of Hawaii, Max Holloway is also a devout Christian. In fact, the religion can be traced back to the impact that missionaries had on that island. Religion is a pretty important part of the BMF champion’s life, which is clear through his posts on social media, where he often shares some of his religious beliefs he has with his fans and followers.

One of those aforementioned posts on social media involved Max Holloway sharing a message after his win over Cub Swanson. He wrote, “Thank you to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!” Coming back to his Samoan culture, it emphasizes loyalty, family, respect, and serving one’s community. And these values, too, are quite apparent in Holloway, who got emotional talking about the devastating wildfire in Hawaii last year. In addition, his commitment to family is apparent in the way he treats his mother.

More about Max Holloway’s early life and background

Max Holloway, the star MMA fighter, was born out of wedlock to Mark Holloway and Missy Kapoi, who had a troubled marriage. Tragically, ‘Blessed’ had to endure some major losses and difficulties when growing up in their home. This is due to the fact that both his parents had issues with substance and which caused many of their problems in their lives.

Mark, Max’s father, has been described as being absent for most of his son’s childhood. Addicted to drugs and failing to take care of his family, Mark Holloway left when Max was only 11 years old. Of course, this left the fighter in a vulnerable state at an unfortunate phase of his life. Also, Max had to navigate his formative years and the teenage period without his father, who could have been a role model.

Max Holloway’s bond with his mom, a rehabilitated former addict, seems to be in better standing. Yet, coming from such a troublesome family structure, it was expected that ‘Blessed’ would hold some grudges against those responsible, and more importantly, his mother. He, however, seems to adore his mother quite a lot. Before the COVID-19 outbreak, Holloway’s mother was everywhere her son fought. In fact, his mother and son, Rush, would take turns joining ‘Blessed’ in the octagon as part of a post-victory party after every win.

Max Holloway spent his childhood under bad conditions but managed to keep his head straight and maintain a sober life, and to this day, has not even failed a single drug test throughout his entire career in the UFC. The ex-featherweight champion started kickboxing when he was already fifteen years old and, at age nineteen, he joined the UFC in the same division as Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor, both of whom were up-and-coming fighters at that time.

From the very first steps of his becoming a UFC champion, the maternal figure has been present to celebrate all his great and heartwarming milestones. And even though Max’s father may no longer be present, ‘Blessed’ has an outstanding bond with his mother and has turned out to be a responsible father figure to his son.