Islam Makhachev just successfully defended his welterweight title at UFC 330 last Saturday night, but it is Max Holloway’s absolutely wild question about Makhachev’s double belt flex that has everyone in the fight game talking. This is not just a style critique, it is a direct challenge to the perception of Makhachev’s dominance, and the champ fired right back.
Makhachev’s Dominance Meets Holloway’s Eye Roll
Let us not forget, Makhachev has been on an absolute tear. He defended his welterweight title against Ian Machado Garry in the main event of UFC 330, securing a unanimous decision win. That is a massive accomplishment, marking his first successful defense in the 170-pound division. And get this: he already successfully defended the lightweight title four times before vacating it to move up. That puts him in seriously rare air, joining legends like Henry Cejudo, Daniel Cormier, Jon Jones, and Amanda Nunes as the only UFC fighters to successfully defend belts in two different weight classes. But here is the kicker: he *vacated* that 155-pound strap. It has already been claimed by Ilia Topuria, who beat Charles Oliveira for it, and now Justin Gaethje holds it after his upset win over Topuria at UFC White House. So, if Makhachev is no longer the lightweight champ, why is he still parading around with two belts? Holloway wants answers, and he is not shy about it.
“You Are, But You’re Not”: Max Holloway Calls It How He Sees It
Max Holloway, the featherweight king from 2017 to 2019 and the guy who earned the “BMF” title in 2024 with that insane knockout of Justin Gaethje at UFC 300, did not hold back. On his Kick channel, he laid into Makhachev’s choice to carry around double gold. “Why the f*ck do you have two belts?” Holloway flat-out asked, not mincing words. “For aura? I mean, it is what it is, like, you are, but you’re not.” He has a point! The UFC does make a new belt every time a fighter wins a championship for the first time, so Makhachev does have his original 2022 lightweight belt. But as Holloway pointed out, Makhachev is just defending one belt now. “That was temporary but now you’re just defending one belt, bro,” Holloway stated, adding, “Why you keep,I don’t know. I don’t know, guys.” It is a fair question from someone who has worn multiple championships himself.
Makhachev’s Cold Reply Leaves No Doubt
Makhachev, never one to back down, hit back on Monday afternoon. Responding to Holloway’s comments via MMA Fighting’s Instagram, the welterweight champ did not offer a long explanation, just a cool dismissal. “I don’t know, bro,” Makhachev wrote. “It’s even too heavy to hold. But you don’t understand, sorry.” Talk about a mic drop! He is basically saying, “You would not get it, because you have not been in my position.” This is not just about a fashion statement or a flex; it is about status and respect in the highest levels of combat sports. With Holloway putting Makhachev on blast like that, and Makhachev throwing back with that cold response, you know this is not the last we have heard about these two. Is this just some trash talk, or does “Blessed” have something bigger in mind? We will be watching!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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