"He's known for defending against 45'ers" - Max Holloway says Islam Makhachev will regret not calling out 'Blessed'

Max Holloway thinks Islam Makhachev might be scratching his head for not considering him as the potential next challenger for the 155-pound title.

At UFC 300, the winners of Charles Oliveira vs. Arman Tsarukyan and Justin Gaethje vs. Max Holloway were expected to emerge as strong candidates for the lightweight title shot.

While Holloway and Tsarukyan emerged victorious, the Hawaiian's dominant win over Gaethje in the ceremonial BMF title fight is being hailed as one of the greatest performances in the sport's history.

The win has transformed 'Blessed' into a strong candidate for the lightweight as well as featherweight title shot. While speaking to Brett Okamoto of ESPN MMA about his plan of action, Holloway highlighted that Makhachev avoided mentioning him before the fight, a decision he might regret now. He said:

"We've got options. The 155-pound champ [Islam Makhachev] was talking before the fight, saying three guys have the opportunity to go make a name to be next. He didn't call me as one. I guess he's scratching his head now because at the end of the day, we'll see what happens. He's known for defending against 45'ers. So, I like my options."

Catch Holloway's comments below (6:19):

Holloway's remarks about Makhachev defending the title against "45'ers" stem from the fact that the Dagestan native secured both of his title defenses against former featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski.

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Max Holloway willing to step aside for Alexander Volkanovski, claps back at Islam Makhachev for post-fight remarks

After losing the trilogy against former champion Alexander Volkanovski, it was speculated that Max Holloway's featherweight title ambitions were over as long as the Australian held the title.

But after Ilia Topuria defeated Volkanovski to become featherweight champion at UFC 298 and Holloway defeated Justin Gaethje last weekend, the Hawaiian's chances of becoming a two-time 145-pound champion have been revitalized.

Holloway called out Topuria during the UFC 300 octagon interview as well. But continuing further in the aforementioned interview with Brett Okamoto of ESPN MMA, Holloway said that he's willing to step aside and allow Volkanovski to get the immediate rematch:

"The guy [Ilia Topuria] is a killer. If our paths cross, which I think, it will, first things first. Alex [Volkanovski] deserves it, brother. He did more than enough work to deserve a direct rematch but if you want to take a break, who's next?" [5:35]

Following Holloway's UFC 300 win, 155-pound champion Islam Makhachev took to X and called out 'Blessed' for a fight. When asked to share his opinion on the callout, which appears to be in stark contrast with Makhachev's pre-fight remarks, Holloway said:

"He might have had a change of heart. Good for him. But we all know he doesn't work his own Twitter." [6:37]

At the moment, it is not clear if Holloway's next fight will be at featherweight or if he will remain in the 155-pound division.