What do you do with a newly crowned champion who has already cleaned out his division?
That’s the conundrum facing the UFC after Max Holloway finished off Jose Aldo with a third-round TKO on Saturday night in Brazil for his 11th consecutive victory in the main event of UFC 212.
The 25-year-old Waianae native, whose winning streak is the fourth- longest in UFC history behind all-time greats Anderson Silva, Jon Jones, Demetrious Johnson and Georges St-Pierre, had to earn his belt more than any other UFC fighter ever.
It took a record nine straight wins for a fighter to not receive a title shot before Holloway decimated Anthony Pettis last December.
Even then, it was only an interim title, and the real thing didn’t come until a left-right combination in the third round Saturday put Aldo on his butt in the middle of the cage. Jeunesse Arena went silent as Aldo did everything he could to survive but he eventually succumbed to a blistering attack from Holloway that left the featherweight division with a new face at the top.
“Welcome to the blessed era,” Holloway said.
It ended a 46-month journey for Holloway that began after his decision loss to Conor McGregor in August 2013.
Even as the wins piled up — a submission of Cub Swanson for No. 6, unanimous decisions over Jeremy Stephens and Ricardo Lamas for Nos. 8 and 9 — a title opportunity was yet to be had.
Holloway handled it in stride, at a time most fighters would have complained publicly about the treatment.
“I could have sat on it and weeped and cried and said where’s my title shot?” Holloway said at the UFC 212 post-fight press conference. “Too many crybabies in this game. I don’t want to say it, but you’re a (expletive), you’re a (expletive) if you act like that, for real. Keep making your payday. (The UFC) tells us to go out there and fight out our contracts. Go out there and make fights.”
Likely opponents
With Pettis and Aldo the final two to fall, Holloway suddenly is at the top of the division he’s already owned.
He’s beaten four of the top five fighters currently at 145 pounds already, and the one he hasn’t, his likely upcoming opponent, was smoked by Aldo last July at UFC 200.
Frankie Edgar does have a history with Hawaii. He ended B.J. Penn’s title run at lightweight seven years ago in Abu Dhabi and has beaten the UFC Hall of Famer three times overall.
That will be the story line built up in advance of the likely fight, but seeing Holloway handle Aldo after Aldo disposed of Edgar by unanimous decision leaves one to wonder who really deserves a shot.
McGregor, should he ever return to 145 pounds, would be that guy. McGregor was the last fighter to beat Holloway, and that was four years and 11 wins ago.
McGregor is the biggest star in the company and is off chasing bigger paydays with a potential boxing fight with Floyd Mayweather.
Featherweight king
Holloway made it clear after Saturday night he’s not of the same mind-set as McGregor. He’s the king of the 145-pound division and he doesn’t plan to leave it unattended.
“I don’t want to hold up my division. I’ve got a throne,” Holloway said. “In the olden days, if the king left and someone came and raided their village, they took over. If I leave and someone takes my belt, I can’t be mad I left my village unattended.
“Like I said before, I’m going to say it again. (McGregor) was the 2015 champ. He can go run around wherever he at with the belt. This is called the year 2017. I’m the champ. If he want to come back down he can come and get it. … I want to defend my throne. Come try to take over my village, off with your head. That’s what I’m going to do.”
In mixed martial arts, the first question after every win is usually, “who’s next?” In the rare case of Holloway, the “where” is just as important as the “who.”
Hawaii bout?
Ten years ago, UFC president Dana White said in an interview he was working on bringing the UFC to Hawaii. The sport was regulated soon after and those regulations were eventually modified to better suit a company wanting to bring an event to the islands.
Part of the problem? There isn’t an indoor arena big enough to hold an event and White has always shied away from scheduling an outdoor arena, though it has happened in the UFC before.
Holloway’s rise to stardom gives the UFC the hometown draw it needs. Penn is still active and has a fight against Dennis Siver later this month. Makaha’s Yancy Medeiros is undefeated at 170 pounds with back-to-back wins after earning a TKO of Erick Silva to open Saturday’s pay-per-view telecast. Brad Tavares, Louis Smolka, Travis Browne, Kailin Curran, Cortney Casey and Russell Doane provide the Hawaii presence desired to put together a full card.
Fulfilling a promise
Saturday’s win over Aldo was the crowning achievement of Holloway’s still young career. He’s the UFC’s all-time leader at 145 pounds in fights, knockouts, stoppages, knockdowns and significant strikes already.
But if he gets the UFC to fulfill a promise more than a decade in the making to bring an event to Hawaii, it could be history-making.
“I’m going to be here a long time,” Holloway said. “Whoever it is, let’s get it done. I’m coming to that point where people are going to ask me to fight. If you want it, come see me. … I know a place (to have it).”
