Max Holloway’s Move to Lightweight After UFC 308
After losing to Ilia Topuria at UFC 308 on October 26, 2024, Max Holloway said he planned to leave featherweight and move to lightweight full time. The division change did not mean he would only compete at 155 pounds: in July 2026 he also accepted a welterweight rematch with Conor McGregor.
The move followed Holloway’s first knockout loss
Topuria stopped Holloway with punches at 1:34 of the third round in their featherweight title fight in Abu Dhabi. Afterward, Holloway said, “155, here we come,” and described his plan as a full-time move to lightweight. The UFC 308 official results record the knockout.
Lightweight brought wins and a title loss
Holloway’s next fight was at lightweight: he defeated Dustin Poirier by unanimous decision at UFC 318 in July 2025 to retain the BMF title. At UFC 326 in March 2026, he lost that title to Charles Oliveira by unanimous decision. UFC published the Poirier fight report and Oliveira rematch results.
He later fought McGregor at welterweight
Holloway’s July 2026 rematch with McGregor was booked at welterweight, not lightweight. Holloway won by first-round TKO after McGregor injured his knee and could not continue. That bout was a one-off move to a higher division; it does not erase Holloway’s stated intention after UFC 308 to leave featherweight for lightweight competition.
Holloway remains a former featherweight champion with a long record of success at 145 pounds, including title victories over José Aldo. The 2024 report correctly captured his stated plan at the time, but its prediction of a lightweight title run and its claims about easier weight cuts were not confirmed facts. His subsequent results show the move in practice: a sustained run at lightweight, with a welterweight exception.
Sources: UFC, UFC 308 results, UFC 318 results, UFC 326 results, and UFC 329 results.
