LAS VEGAS >> Max Holloway took the stage, ripped off a red UFC T-shirt, stepped on the scale and started pounding his chest as he let out a loud yell drowned out by the pro-Hawaii crowd inside T-Mobile Arena.
A confident UFC featherweight champion had no problem making weight for his 145-pound title defense against Alexander Volkanovski in tonight’s co-main event of UFC 245.
Holloway, who is 5 feet 11 and just turned 28, eased any concerns, which come from the outside and not within, of making weight. He was the first fighter on the scale in the morning two-hour window, giving himself plenty of time to prepare for the ceremonial weigh-in in front of a packed arena crowd that had large Hawaiian flags flying in many sections.
“The blessed express is on the move. Christmas, New Year’s came early. You’re welcome,” he proclaimed before walking off stage.
Holloway (21-4, 17-4) will have a 5-inch height advantage against Volkanovski (20-1, 7-0), but the challenger holds a 2-inch reach advantage.
The 31-year-old Volkanovski, who was a professional rugby player when he decided to start training in mixed martial arts in 2011, thinks he has a power advantage that will result in a new undisputed 145-pound champion for the first time in three years.
“He’s a great champion and once I take that belt I plan to do the exact same thing,” Volkanovski said after weighing in at 144.5 pounds. “Blessed era ends. My time.”
Holloway’s fight is one of three title bouts and five fights total on pay-per-view available through ESPN+. Four fights will be shown prior to the PPV on ESPN2.
Four other fights will be shown on UFC Fight Pass beginning at 1:15 p.m. Hawaii time. The first bout of the evening is the UFC debut of Kahuku alum Punahele Soriano.
Soriano (5-0 overall) took a spot in the company after winning a fight on an episode of Dana White’s Contender Series, a show on UFC Fight Pass giving fighters an opportunity to earn a UFC contract.
Soriano, who won a state championship in wrestling at Kahuku in 2010, went on to earn NCAA All-America honors at Wartburg College, a Division III school in Waverly, Iowa, before moving back home to figure out what’s next.
“I was job searching, didn’t really know what I was doing, and (UFC featherweight fighter) Dan Ige actually invited me to come to wrestling practice at his gym where I’d go once a week and gradually go every day.” Soriano said during Thursday’s UFC media day. “I decided to give it my all for two years and see what happens after those two years was right before that (Dana White Contender’s Series) fight so I knew I was there.”
Soriano won a unanimous decision to get the UFC contract and was emotional after the fight. He expects to be the same way when he steps into the cage to fight Oskar Piechota (11-2-1, 2-2), a Polish southpaw who won his first two UFC fights but has been submitted in his last two.
“I assume I’ll be nervous for sure, but I’m always nervous. Every sports competition I’ve ever been in I’ve been nervous,” said Soriano, who now trains at Extreme Couture with Brad Tavares. “I just plan to be better than (Piechota). Everywhere he goes I will be better than him.”
Holloway, who was 20 when he made his UFC debut against Dustin Poirier, also trained with Ige, who like Soriano, is a Kahuku alum.
“The most I remember about my debut is telling myself in the center of the Octagon when Bruce Buffer was announcing me, do not faint because I was weak in the knees for sure,” Holloway said Thursday. “I get chicken skin every time I’ve got a Hawaiian with me on the card.”
—
UFC 245
Today, T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas
>> UFC Fight Pass prelims, 1:15 p.m.
>> ESPN2 prelims, 3 p.m.
>> Main card (ESPN+ PPV), 5 p.m. Featuring featherweight title fight Max Holloway (21-4, 17-4) vs. Alexander Volkanovski (20-1, 7-0)
>> Opening preliminary fight Punahele Soriano (5-0, 0-0) vs. Oskar Piechota (11-2-1, 2-2)
