BMF champion and former featherweight champion Max Holloway is a veteran of the UFC. This might be surprising for some since the Hawaii native is only 32 at the moment. But it needs to be remembered that ‘Blessed’ made his UFC debut at just twenty and has had twenty-nine fights in the Dana White-led promotion so far.

And that is why Holloway is so offended at all the ‘new era’ talk and his upcoming, UFC 308 opponent Ilia Topuria calling him old, promising to put him in an old age home, where he already sent Alexander Volkanovski after their UFC 298 clash. And this has motivated Holloway to prove himself yet again.

I mean since I’ve been with the UFC since I was 20 years old. Everybody thinks I’m like 50 so it’s crazy, you know. At the end of the day, people keep saying that this new era is to start and this and that and blah blah blah. Ilia Topuria is like 29 I think, I believe. I’m only 32 I turn 33 at the end of the year. I’m like this new era I’m stood in this era I am stood here.” Holloway told Megan Olivi in a recent interview.

‘Blessed’ further stressed the fact that he had achieved way more than Topuria at 27 and added, “Just because I’ve been around longer than him doesn’t mean I’m an old guy. So I just can’t wait, you know. The last time I checked I was younger than Ilia and I had  [more] title defenses… At the end of the day, I can’t wait for it. This is the new era, this is what everybody’s talking about. So I can’t wait to have a taste come October 26!”

While Topuria is indeed younger than Holloway at 27, it’s important to note that 32 is not considered old in MMA terms. Dismissing Holloway’s chances solely based on his age would be a disservice to one of the greatest featherweights in the sport’s history.

Max Holloway refuses to stand and bang with Ilia Topuria in the center of the Octagon

Ilia Topuria has promised to do a ‘Holloway’ at UFC 308 and point to the center of the octagon, inviting ‘Blessed’ to duke it out. The former champion, of course, is well known for doing this at the end of some of his bouts to give his opponents a chance to knock him out and also spend every ounce of energy to entertain the masses.

Topuria aims to make a statement early in the fight by securing the fastest knockout in UFC history. However, Holloway is not inclined to cooperate with Topuria’s strategy, dismissing it as a “dumb” move. In a recent interview, the Hawaiian native said “If the belt was the ‘DMF,’ the dumbest motherf*****, then maybe I would get sucked into it. It’s far from that.”

Topuria will no doubt be disappointed that Holloway has refused to take his bait. But he does have a Plan B. The featherweight champ has claimed that if he cannot knockout ‘Blessed’ early, he will try to take him down and maul him on the ground. And that, at least on paper, seems like a very good idea for ‘El Matador’.

After all, Holloway is the definition of a pure striker and has virtually little to no ground game. But taking Holloway down is easier said than done! Since over his decade-long stint in the UFC, ‘Blessed’ has developed the art of not even being in a position of being taken down.

What are your thoughts on Max Holloway’s take on the ‘new era’ talk? How do you see this title clash going? Tell us in the comment section below!