As he approaches his 39th birthday, UFC fighter Josh Emmett is hoping to fight top contenders to get a shot at the title, ideally targeting former featherweight champion Max Holloway as his next opponent.
Josh Emmett is staring down the barrel of his 39th birthday. He knows the clock’s ticking on his dream of being UFC champ.
He was so close to the interim featherweight title in February. But Yair Rodriguez got the better of him. Then, he lost again in June, this time to Ilia Topuria. But hey, everyone has their bad days, right?
But then came UFC 296. Emmett went full-on beast mode against Bryce Mitchell. The result? One of the most brutal knockouts in MMA history.
After that win, Emmett’s got his eyes on the prize again. He’s hoping to get back in the title race in 2024.
His plan? Fight whoever it takes to get that title shot. As he put it on The MMA Hour, “This is my last run at the title. I’m doing everything I need to do. I’ll fight whoever I need to, to get to that title.” He’s got his sights set on the top three.
Alexander Volkanovski and Ilia Topuria are going head-to-head in February. Emmett would love to take on the winner. But he knows he’s got to fight someone at the top to get back in the game.
Emmett’s not one to call people out. But he knows who he wants to fight next. If he’s going to jump the line at 145 pounds, there’s only one choice.
Max Holloway. Former UFC featherweight champ. He’s wiped out nearly every other top contender. His only losses recently? A trio of title fights with Alexander Volkanovski. As long as Volkanovski’s champ, Holloway’s probably not getting another shot at gold.
That’s why Emmett sees Holloway as his next step.
Emmett said, “Max was — besides Volkanovski — he’s one of the best featherweights of all time.” He feels Holloway’s beat everyone except Volkanovski. So, he’s the No. 1 contender. He’s fought everyone in the featherweight division except Emmett.
Emmett would be honored to fight him. He said, “That’s like a sure shot to the title. You go in and beat him, there’s nothing left but to fight for the title.” If the UFC’s game, Emmett’s ready.
Emmett came out of his win over Mitchell at UFC 296 unscathed. He’s planning to hit the gym again soon. He’s not setting a date for his next fight yet. But if he can get Holloway, he’d like it to be early in 2024. That would set him up for a title shot by the end of the year.
Emmett’s game plan? “I’m going to get back into training this week and take it from there,” he said. “2024 is going to be my year. I’m going to win a fight, and then I’m going to win that title.”