The UFC has Max Holloway ranked as its 13th-best fighter at 145 pounds.
His performance inside the cage would suggest that’s a little too low.
The Waianae-bred UFC fighter will tie Dustin Poirier for the most featherweight fights in UFC history at 11 when he takes on Cole Miller in the co-main event of Saturday’s card in Broomfield, Colo.
MAX HOLLOWAY
>> Age: 23
>> Hometown: Waianae
>> Height: 5-11
>> Division: Featherweight (145 pounds)
>> Record: 11-3 overall, 7-3 UFC
>> UFC ranking: 13 |
Holloway (11-3, 7-3 UFC) is riding a four-fight win streak heading into this fight, which will be shown on Fox Sports 1 beginning at 5 p.m. Hawaii time.
Still only 23 years old, Holloway has won his last four fights by stoppage, tying women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey and lightweight champion Anthony Pettis for the longest streak among active fighters.
His winning streak is third-longest in the division, behind champion Jose Aldo and No. 1 contender Conor McGregor, who will go head-to-head for the title at UFC 189 on July 11 in Las Vegas.
Yet somehow he still finds himself outside of the top 10.
"Being ranked is whatever it is," Holloway said Thursday. "It’s super cool and all but I don’t agree with the rankings. You see people moving up and down all the time when nothing is even happening so I don’t pay attention to it. The only ranking that counts is if you got that gold belt around your waist."
Holloway can take the next step toward that dream with a win over Miller (21-8, 10-6), who has won his last two fights, but hasn’t competed since January of 2014.
Miller, like Holloway, is a striker who fights at a fast pace and will have a solid reach advantage at 6-feet-1.
He made his UFC debut after competing on the Ultimate Fighter show in Season 5, which featured B.J. Penn as one of the two coaches.
"Cole’s got a lot of submission finishes, but if you watch them, he cracks people with his right hand or his left hook and then submits them," Holloway said. "This guy is dangerous on his feet, too. Everyone is overlooking his striking, but I’m totally aware of what he has."
Holloway’s popularity has grown with every finish he’s accumulated. His current steak began when he scored a TKO of Will Chope with a flurry of punches and a body shot that put Chope on the mat for good.
Three months later, he pulled out a close win against Andre Fili when he made him tap out to a guillotine choke from top position with less than 90 seconds left in the fight.
His third fight of 2014 ended when he mounted Clay Collard in the third round and unleashed a heavy assault of punches and elbows to force the stoppage with 1:13 remaining in the fight.
Six weeks later, he knocked out Akira Corassani in the first round.
"You never ever want to go out there and force a finish because most of the times you try to force a finish and it doesn’t come," Holloway said. "I go out there and do what we’ve done the whole camp over the last six weeks and if the opportunity opens I will take it."
It has taken four years for Holloway to learn that valuable lesson. He’s been unstoppable since his unanimous decision loss to McGregor and could one day get a chance to avenge that defeat.
For now, all Holloway is concerned with is Miller.
"One step at a time," Holloway cautioned. "That’s my motto. I’m sure if I continue winning and I continue finishing opponents, the world title will be in reach soon."
