With 90 seconds to go, Max Holloway turned away from his opponent, Calvin Kattar, and told the broadcast team cageside that he was the best boxer in the UFC. On ABC, the network that’s been home to boxing since the 1940s, Holloway more than proved his point with his punches.
Holloway dominated Kattar on Saturday via unanimous decision (50-43, 50-43, 50-42) in one of the most one-sided major events in UFC history. Holloway is the former UFC featherweight champion and the most decorated 145-pound fighter of all time. Saturday’s fight was arguably the best performance of his career at UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi.
Afterward, Holloway said he will stay in Abu Dhabi for another week and will make himself available if anything happens to UFC 257 main event fighters Conor McGregor or Dustin Poirier.
However, UFC President Dana White quickly dismissed that idea, telling reporters that Holloway would be heading home to rest. Still, White had nothing but praise for Holloway’s performance, calling him “one of the greats of all time, period, in combat.”
‘I think people keep doubting Max and think, is old Max coming up? The man who lost a step and all? ‘ White said. “He just doesn’t. A lot of people that we all respect and know a lot about this sport have chosen Kattar to win tonight. Let’s give Kattar the respect he deserves too. It takes two to have a great fight. Unbelievable. “
Holloway could be next in line for another title opportunity. White said he believes Holloway “deserves” another shot at current welterweight champion Alexander Volkanovski, to whom Holloway lost two close fights, but Holloway will have to wait. Volkanovski’s next fight will be against Brian Ortega on March 27 at UFC 260, sources told ESPN’s Ariel Helwani.
ESPN had put Holloway in second place and Kattar in sixth place in the featherweight division. The card was the first UFC event to air on ABC and the first since 2018 on network television.
The scorecards were tied for the most skewed in a five round bout in UFC history, along with a bout between Rich Franklin and David Loiseau at UFC 58 in 2006. The score of 50-42 was only the second ever in history of the UFC, after Franklin vs. Loiseau.
Holloway has always been an exceptional striker. But he came out of the very first round with a different kind of cruelty. Kattar landed some nice jabs and hard right hands everywhere. But for each one, Holloway returned a burst of long, diverse combinations targeting the head, body, legs, and more. Holloway landed with hard elbows and knees in the gut. The avid gamer was like a fighting video game come to life.
“If you’re not a fan of Max Holloway, you’re a hater,” Kattar said. ‘That kid is an animal. Did what he had to do. Good luck to him and hopefully the next champion, because he deserves another chance. ‘
Saturday’s main event broke several records. According to UFC Stats, Holloway landed a UFC record of 445 significant strikes, shattering the previous figure of 290 he set against Ortega at UFC 231. 578) and significant discontinuation difference (312).
Holloway’s 141 major strikes in Round 4 were also the most single-round strikes in UFC history.
The fight took place at the Etihad Arena in front of a limited number of fans who have all gone through the COVID-19 protocols. It was the first paid audience to witness a UFC event since March last year.
The crowd sang to Holloway early on, because of his flurries. Kattar landed some nice combinations in the first round, but by the end of the round, Holloway’s pressure and versatile combinations on every part of the body took over. Holloway came close to the finish in the second with long combinations, but Kattar held out strong despite having an elbow bloodied late in the round. The only thing more impressive than Kattar’s toughness was Holloway’s stamina.
Holloway didn’t slow down at all in the late rounds. There were times when Kattar watched the cage on his feet as Holloway poured combination after combination, but referee Herb Dean didn’t stop it. At the end of the fifth, Holloway began taunting Kattar, dropping his hands, and speaking to the commentary booth with an astonishing display of confidence.
“He looked like Muhammad Ali tonight,” former UFC champion and ESPN analyst Daniel Cormier said on the air. Max Holloway floated and stuck. It was incredible.
Holloway (22-6) dropped two in a row at Volkanovski before this fight. Both matches were very close, and many believed Holloway won the second at UFC 251 in July. Holloway, 29, is the most accomplished featherweight in UFC history. He held some form of the 145-pound title in the UFC from 2016 to 2019. Hawaii native Holloway has the most wins (17), most KO / TKO wins (8), and most stoppages (10). ) in UFC featherweight history.
Kattar (22-4) had won two in a row and four of his last five came in. The Massachusetts native has four finishes in six UFC wins, known for his jab and thumping right hand. Kattar, 32, won last July with a unanimous decision from Dan Ige.