Max Holloway will be eager to replicate the devastating strike that knocked out Justin Gaethje and put the American on a collision course against the UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria this weekend.
The Topuria-Holloway fight headlines Saturday's UFC 308 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi with the American looking to further cement his legacy as one of the all-time greats of MMA.
Holloway landed a devastating strike that sent Gaethje crashing to the canvas with a second left in their five-round fight for the BMF title in Las Vegas on April 14. That victory set-up a title shot against Topuria.
Whether Holloway can regain the title or not remains to be seen. After all, the man standing in front of him is incumbent UFC featherweight champion Topuria who is still undefeated in 15 career fights. But Holloway is not fazed.
“I'll get the final answer on Saturday night, man. I can't wait,” Holloway said during the pre-bout media conference.
“Just keep grinding man, just keep grinding, keep your head down, keep grinding, you want something, go get it, anything is possible.”
While a stunning strike, like the one against Gaethje, would be perfect, Holloway is not thinking too far ahead.
“We're gonna find out. Like I said, like I've been saying, like he [Topuria] just said. We're gonna find out what I've been saying all week. We're a couple days away,” the American added.
On Thursday, Topuria did most of the talking and predicted an early knockout. If he does, he’ll be the first to own that record against Holloway. The strategy he laid out was a straightforward one, intending to go all out against his opponent.
“It's going to be exactly the same, I'm going to take these lights out in the first round. I'm going to take these lights out in the second round, but this case it’s going to be a little bit different. I'm going to do it in the first round,” he said.
Holloway has stood up to the likes of Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier and others in the octagon but Topuria thinks they didn’t have the power in their strikes to cause much damage. He considers himself in a different league compared to those fighters.
“Not one of them have the power that I have in my hands,” Topuria said. “Not one of them have this. I have been saying the same thing.
“You all have the same energy and that's why you have the same energy in this one, but you're going to change your mind after this Saturday night. I copy a lot of other fighters but the reality is that he wants to be me, he wants to be the champion, he wants to be in my place.”
Topuria had previously admitted that he has long been a fan of former 145-pound king Max Holloway but it was time for the new generation to take over.
The same mantra was repeated on Thursday. “He has achieved many great things in the sport. You can’t take the credit from him, so I have learned many, many things from him.
“He called me a fan. Yeah, I followed his career. I’ve been a fan. How can you not be a fan of Max Holloway, right?
“So, he’s been a great example for me, but now it’s my time to be that example for the new generation.”
White has described the fight as “terrible” as it involves two fighters he has a good relationship with.
“Max Holloway is one of the greatest ever to do it, one of the nicest dudes and he has the BMF belt and he is a BMF and Topuria has been an absolute rock star,” he added.
“It’s going to be a fun fight. I hate to see somebody lose that fight.”
