Max Holloway is confused by Ilia Topuria claiming the BMF championship belt despite not officially holding it, following Holloway’s recent title defense and Topuria’s move to the lightweight division.
Max Holloway is scratching his head over Ilia Topuria posing with a BMF championship belt. Holloway recently defended the real title with a decision win over Dustin Poirier at UFC 318 in New Orleans. Before that, Topuria stopped Holloway at UFC 308 in October, marking Topuria’s last featherweight fight.
Topuria then moved to the lightweight division, where he knocked out Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 in June, becoming the new 155-pound champ. After Holloway’s win over Poirier, Topuria tweeted a photo of the BMF title, claiming it’s “still mine.”
Following his victory, Holloway was asked about Topuria’s tweet and whether “El Matador” deserves a BMF title fight. “Oh, for sure,” Holloway said at the UFC 318 post-fight press conference. “But when the UFC didn’t put it up, it is what it is, you know?”
Holloway finds it baffling that Topuria is flaunting the belt. “Did you see [Islam Makhachev] walking around with [another] champion’s belt after beating [Alexander Volkanovski] twice? The belt wasn’t on the line. Get over it, brother. Why spend money on a damn f*cking belt?”
Now, both fighters are in the same division, sparking talk of a potential rematch. But given their last bout was just nine months ago, it seems unlikely. While they may chart different courses for now, Holloway remains puzzled by Topuria’s BMF claims.
“That’s just crazy to me,” Holloway remarked. “I know you’re rich and all, but that’s just a waste of money.”