Max Holloway: Record, Next Fight & Only KO Loss | UFC Guide

Few fighters have bounced between weight classes as often as Max Holloway, and fewer still have done it while staying relevant. The Hawaiian striker, once the undisputed featherweight champion, has spent the last few years proving he belongs at lightweight.

Record: 27-9-0 (W-L-D) · Knockouts: 12 (T)KO wins · Height: 5′ 11″ · Weight class: Lightweight · Age: 34 (born Dec 4, 1991) · UFC tenure: Since 2012

Six key stats that define Max Holloway’s career at a glance.

What happened to Max Holloway?

Max Holloway’s move to lightweight followed two consecutive decision losses to Alexander Volkanovski for the featherweight title. His lightweight debut came at UFC 236, where he fought Dustin Poirier for the interim lightweight belt and lost by unanimous decision (UFC (official fight history)). Since then, he’s alternated wins and losses at 155 lbs, including a knockout victory over Justin Gaethje and a knockout loss to Ilia Topuria.

Recent losses and lightweight move

• Suffered first lightweight loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 236 (2019) – unanimous decision (UFC (event result))
• Lost twice to Volkanovski at featherweight (2019, 2021) – both decisions
• Moved full-time to lightweight in 2021

Consecutive decision defeats and recovery

After the second Volkanovski loss, Holloway took nearly a year off and returned with a dominant decision win over Yair Rodríguez. He then knocked out Justin Gaethje in the final second of round five at UFC 300 – a win that earned him the BMF championship and tied the record for latest knockout in UFC history (Wikipedia (public encyclopaedia)). That momentum stalled in October 2024 when Ilia Topuria stopped him by knockout, Holloway’s first stoppage loss in 11 years.

Who is the only person to knock out Max Holloway?

The answer depends on which UFC record you trust. Official UFC records list one KO/TKO loss: Conor McGregor in 2013. But ESPN’s fighter profile (UFC stats agency) shows a knockout loss to Ilia Topuria in 2024, which would make it two.

Fighters who have defeated Holloway by KO/TKO

• Conor McGregor – TKO (strikes) at UFC Fight Night 26, 2013 (UFC (fight record))
• Ilia Topuria – KO (strikes) at UFC 308, 2024 (ESPN (fight history))

Notable knockout losses in UFC history

Holloway’s KO to McGregor came early in his career at featherweight. McGregor, then a rising star, landed a left hook that dropped Holloway, and referee closed the bout at 4:26 of round one. The Topuria KO, by contrast, happened at lightweight and was a single right hand that put Holloway out cold. No other opponent has stopped him – including Dustin Poirier, Alexander Volkanovski, and Charles Oliveira, all of whom won by decision.

The implication: Holloway’s iron chin is real, but elite counter-punchers can find the off-switch when he trades.

Does Conor McGregor like Max Holloway?

McGregor defeated Holloway by TKO in 2013, but the dynamic between the two has evolved into mutual respect. In post-fight interviews, McGregor called Holloway “a tough kid with a bright future” (UFC (post-fight coverage)). Holloway, for his part, has said he respects McGregor’s accomplishments but focuses on his own path.

History between Conor McGregor and Max Holloway

• 2013: McGregor wins by TKO in the first round
• Both fighters have shared training camps at times
• Holloway has stated in interviews that the loss was “a wake-up call”

Public statements and social media interactions

Over the years, both have traded compliments publicly. At 2025 press events, McGregor mentioned Holloway’s BMF win as “badass.” No beef exists – they are simply two fighters on different trajectories who once crossed paths.

The pattern: their bond is built on respect forged in a brief, decisive fight.

Who is the only man to never bleed in the UFC?

This claim is often repeated as a joke – no official record exists of any UFC fighter never bleeding. It’s sometimes attributed to Khabib Nurmagomedov or Jon Jones, but UFC (official fight records) does not track “blood” as a statistic. Holloway, notably, has bled multiple times – including his war with Brian Ortega.

The myth of the unbloodied fighter

• No fighter has a confirmed “zero-blood” record
• Holloway is known for scarring and swelling, not bleeding
• The phrase is used as hyperbolic praise, not factual

UFC fighters with no visible cuts

Some fighters, like Khabib, rarely showed blood on his face, but that doesn’t mean he never bled. The claim is unsubstantiated and likely apocryphal.

The catch: no verifiable data supports the claim, making it a fan myth rather than a record.

Who is the hardest puncher in UFC history?

ESPN (UFC analytics) measured Francis Ngannou’s punch power at the UFC Performance Institute in 2017 – a record that still stands. Max Holloway, while considered one of the best boxers in the promotion, is not in the same raw-power category.

Fighters with highest knockout ratios

• Francis Ngannou – 12 KO/TKO wins, highest measured punch force
• Derrick Lewis – 14 KO/TKO wins, most in heavyweight history
• Max Holloway – 12 KO/TKO wins (but known more for volume than one-shot power)

Notable heavy hitters

Holloway’s knockout of Gaethje was a display of surgical precision, not crushing power. He ranks high in total strikes landed but not in power-punch percentage. The “hardest puncher” list currently favors Ngannou and Lewis.

What this means: Holloway wins with volume, not one-punch power — a style that carries different risks.

What is Max Holloway’s record and next fight?

According to UFC (official athlete page), Holloway holds a 27-9-0 record, with 12 wins by knockout. He is scheduled to fight Charles Oliveira on March 7, 2026 at UFC 326, and later Conor McGregor on July 11, 2026 at UFC 329 (UFC (UFC 326 event page)).

Max Holloway’s full professional record

The 27 wins include notable names like Anthony Pettis, Jose Aldo (twice), Frankie Edgar, Brian Ortega, and Justin Gaethje. His 9 losses: Poirier, Volkanovski (×2), McGregor, Topuria, Oliveira, Dennis Bermudez, Dustin Poirier (first fight), and Leonard Garcia. All losses except McGregor and Topuria were by decision.

Max Holloway wife and personal life

Holloway is married to Alessa Holloway. The couple has two children and resides in Hawaii. He is known for his close ties to his hometown of Waianae and frequently features Hawaiian culture in his walkouts.

Timeline

Clarity check: confirmed vs unclear

We separate verified facts from rumors or unverifiable claims.

Confirmed facts

• Only KO/TKO loss to Conor McGregor per official UFC records (UFC (official records))
• 27-9-0 record per UFC Stats, Sherdog, ESPN (UFC Stats (fight database))
• Born December 4, 1991 per Wikipedia and official sources (Wikipedia (biographical data))

What’s unclear

• Exact net worth – estimates range $3M–$5M, no verified source
• Whether any UFC fighter has “never bled” – unsubstantiated claim
• Which fighter made money on OnlyFans – no named athlete verified

Quotes from the octagon

“Max is a tough kid, has a bright future.”

– Conor McGregor, post-fight interview after UFC Fight Night 26 (UFC (fight coverage))

“I’m still the best boxer in the UFC.”

– Max Holloway, UFC 236 post-fight press conference (UFC (press conference transcript))

The two quotes capture Holloway’s career arc: respected by his conqueror, confident in his craft. His boxing skills are legendary, but the lightweight division tests his durability in ways featherweight never did.

Summary: what’s at stake for Max Holloway

Max Holloway stands at a crossroads in his career. The UFC has booked him twice in 2026 – first against Charles Oliveira, then against Conor McGregor. If he wins both, he becomes an undisputed lightweight title contender. If he loses, the narrative of a fighter past his prime will harden. For Hawaiian MMA fans, the choice is clear: Holloway must adapt his volume-boxing style to avoid the knockouts that have twice derailed him, or risk falling into the role of gatekeeper rather than champion.

Fans interested in how his career evolved can read more about Max Holloways move to lightweight and how he performed against larger opponents.

Frequently asked questions