ABU DHABI – When the concept first was proposed that Max Holloway may problem for Ilia Topuria’s featherweight title, Topuria had what gave the impression to be a pure query.
Would Holloway’s new BMF belt be on the road, too? It stood to motive, Topuria argued, that it ought to.
The MMA world now is aware of that it wasn’t a part of the deal this previous Saturday at Etihad Area in Abu Dhabi, the place Topuria (16-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC), the UFC’s first champion from Spain, defended the featherweight belt with a stunner of a knockout within the third spherical. Former longtime champ Holloway (26-8 MMA, 22-8 UFC) this by no means had been knocked out.
Making issues barely extra dramatic was the very fact Topuria stated he’d be the primary to do it to Holloway, then backed it up – not essentially in opposition to all odds, however definitely in opposition to lots of them.
The aggressive nature if the battle earlier than Holloway had his lights turned out made it appear, on reflection, that it may’ve been a BMF title battle just like the one Holloway was in when he completed Justin Gaethje with one second left. That little bit of immediate legend is what received Holloway the title shot.
Even UFC CEO Dana White, after the very fact, stated it might need been good to have each belts contested.
“Topuria’s belt was on the road; Max was attempting to take that,” White stated after UFC 308 in clarification of why the promotion didn’t convey the BMF strap into the image. “Midway by means of the second spherical, I stated, ‘Sh*t, we should always have put the Unhealthy Motherf*cker title up for this battle, too, as a result of these guys are each (a BMF).’”
Holloway stated after his loss that he’s more likely to transfer to light-weight. That wouldn’t have an effect on the BMF belt, although. It simply could also be some time earlier than Holloway will get again on the horse, and when he does, it stays to be seen if it is going to be in the kind of battle that may warrant the symbolic belt being up for grabs.
White was simply as not sure what is going to occur with it.
“I don’t know what we’ll do with it but, however Max nonetheless has it. Max holds the title, so we’ll see what occurs,” he stated.
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