Max Holloway receives BMF challenge, yet it's not his most suitable choice within the UFC sphere.
Max Holloway receives BMF challenge, yet it's not his most suitable choice within the UFC sphere.
Max Holloway's reign as a featherweight has come to an end. He said his goodbyes to the division he once dominated following his TKO loss to Ilia Topuria in October, and challenges at lightweight have already started rolling in.
Holloway has formally moved up to lightweight, but he still holds the second spot in the featherweight rankings. We're not sure when Holloway will step back into the Octagon, but when he does, No. 10-ranked 155-pound Renato Moicano is standing by.
Moicano expressed his interest in fighting Holloway for the BMF title, as he welcomes him to the lightweight division, telling MMA Fighting.
The fight makes sense from several perspectives, although another match makes even more sense.
Moicano's personality fits the BMF energy perfectly, making promotion a breeze. While many argue Moicano should be ranked higher, at No. 10, he's in a good position for a financial and professional boost if he can overcome Holloway.
For Holloway, who demonstrated his ability to compete at or near the highest level in the lightweight division when he knocked out Justin Gaethje in April at UFC 300, fighting Moicano makes sense.
Even though Holloway is one of the biggest stars in the sport and currently ranks fifth at lightweight, he recently suffered a stoppage loss. Moicano, on a four-fight win streak, presents an attractive option. Holloway might not want to look down the rankings but instead choose a potential rematch against legends like Charles Oliveira or Dustin Poirier, who he has lost to twice.
Holloway beat Oliveira in August 2015, but it was a TKO due to a shoulder injury. Neither fighter has had a rematch since. It makes sense, although it's a better fight for Holloway at this stage of his career.
Holloway has earned the right to take his time, enjoy his family, and recharge before making a run at the lightweight title. If he can win a couple of fights at lightweight, he will likely position himself to challenge for the title, regardless of who holds it. That'll be the case even if Topuria has moved up to 155 pounds and claims the championship there.
It seems unlikely that we'll see Holloway in the cage before mid to late spring – or even early summer. When he returns, we can expect him to look up the rankings for an opponent, not down.
What’s Next for the UFC?
We're still two weeks away from the next UFC event, which will be the first in 2025. UFC Vegas 101 will be headlined by Mackenzie Dern's rematch with Amanda Ribas. Dern has the opportunity for revenge after losing their first fight by unanimous decision in 2019.
Here's the full card:
- Mackenzie Dern vs. Amanda Ribas - Strawweight
- Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Carlston Harris - Welterweight
- Abdul Razak Alhassan vs. César Almeida - Middleweight
- Chris Curtis vs. Roman Kopylov - Middleweight
- Austin Bashi vs. Christian Rodriguez - Featherweight
- Punahele Soriano vs. Uroš Medić - Welterweight
- Jose Johnson vs. Felipe Bunes - Flyweight
- Marco Túlio vs. Ihor Potieria - Middleweight
- Thiago Moisés vs. Trey Ogden - Lightweight
- Andreas Gustafsson vs. Preston Parsons - Welterweight
- Ernesta Kareckaite vs. Nicolle Caliari - Flyweight
- Magomed Gadzhiyasulov vs. Bruno Lopes - Light Heavyweight
- Viktoriia Dudakova vs. Fatima Kline - Strawweight
- Nurullo Aliev vs. Yanal Ashmouz - Lightweight
Renato Moicano expressed his interest in fighting Max Holloway for the BMF title, welcoming him to the lightweight division. This potential match makes sense from several perspectives, as Moicano's personality fits the BMF energy perfectly and a win could provide a significant boost for his career.
Charles Oliveira, currently ranked higher than Moicano, might also be an interesting opponent for Holloway. Holloway previously defeated Oliveira by TKO due to a shoulder injury back in 2015, but neither fighter has had a rematch since.
UFC 313 is set to take place in the near future, but it's unclear whether Holloway or Moicano will be part of the lineup. UFC Vegas 101, the first UFC event of 2025, will feature a rematch between Mackenzie Dern and Amanda Ribas in the main event.