Max Holloway
Active 2012–present · rated in 5 editions · peak overall 92.0
Scouting report
Max "Blessed" Holloway holds the UFC Featherweight Championship and the BMF title, the latter won with a fifth-round knockout of Justin Gaethje at the final bell of UFC 300. Hailing from Waianae, Hawaii, Holloway is known for high-volume boxing and has set UFC records for significant strikes landed in a single fight. His output is reflected in a peak 97 Boxing, 98 Cardio, and 95 Fight IQ.
Peak ratings
By edition
Holloway beat Ricardo Lamas at UFC 199, stopped Anthony Pettis for the interim title at UFC 206 in Toronto, and stopped Jose Aldo in consecutive third-round TKOs at UFC 212 in Rio and UFC 218 in Detroit. His volume boxing, cardio, and pace are reflected in a 92 Boxing and 96 Cardio.
Holloway defended his title against Brian Ortega at UFC 231 in Toronto, landing heavy volume across four rounds before the doctor stoppage, and outpointed Frankie Edgar at UFC 240 in Edmonton after losing an interim lightweight title fight to Dustin Poirier at UFC 236, then dropped the belt to Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 245. His boxing volume and endurance are reflected in a 95 Boxing and 98 Cardio.
After a close split-decision loss in his title rematch with Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 251, Holloway landed a high-volume striking performance against Calvin Kattar in Abu Dhabi and outworked Yair Rodriguez over five rounds in Las Vegas. His volume boxing and stamina are reflected in a 96 Boxing and 98 Cardio.
Holloway outpointed Arnold Allen in Kansas City, knocked out Chan Sung Jung in Singapore, and scored a fifth-round knockout of Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 in Las Vegas before challenging Ilia Topuria. His pacing and boxing combinations anchor his 97 Boxing and 98 Cardio ratings.
Max Holloway: the fight gets better for him as it gets longer
Max Holloway wins by making everything in the fight harder for the other person. The pace builds, the volume climbs and by round four the opponent is defending against a fighter who looks fresher than in round one. In the draft he is a reliable source of relentless output.
Holloway attribute by attribute
Boxing. Record-setting volume. He works head and body in any order and slips counters while he does it.
Kickboxing. Spinning back kicks, calf kicks and high kicks are used to steer opponents along the fence before the hands start.
Wrestling. Excellent defensive work. Good balance, a wide base and hand-fighting on the cage keep him upright.
BJJ. Functional and mainly defensive. There is a real guillotine waiting for careless entries, but the ground is a place he wants to leave.
Strength. Enough core strength to stay balanced. He beats people with output rather than single shots.
Durability. For years he took huge damage without going down, and his chin is a contender for the best at featherweight.
Cardio. The best in the game. He throws more as the rounds go on, which is unusual.
Fight IQ. He spends round one testing reactions with the jab, and then turns up the pace once he understands their rhythm.
The trait to take: Boxing
Body-and-head combinations at this volume overwhelm most defensive shells. It is the best available option if you want to drown a fight in strikes.
The trait to skip: Offensive wrestling
He does not shoot. If you fall behind on the scorecards and need a late takedown, his wrestling slot leaves you on the feet with no alternative.
Keep exploring
Closest featherweight profiles to Max Holloway, measured by how near their peak attribute ratings sit across all eight categories.
- Alexander Volkanovskibest fight iq 97 · weakest bjj 85
- Frankie Edgarbest cardio 98 · weakest strength 78
- Jose Aldobest kickboxing 96 · weakest strength 82
- Ilia Topuriabest boxing 96 · weakest strength 86
- Featherweight division guide: how the whole division rates and who to draft from it.
- Protecting your streak: a guide that fits Max Holloway's strongest attribute, Cardio.
Draft Max Holloway into your build
Max Holloway enters the pool on any spin landing on featherweight between 2016 and present. Spin, draft eight attributes, then simulate 25 fights.
Ratings shown are my own estimates, made with AI assistance and informed by how Max Holloway is regarded by the MMA community. They are unofficial and do not constitute an assessment of Max Holloway's real-world abilities. How the ratings are made. See the disclaimer below. Ratings and write-ups by Haaris A. Last reviewed 2026-09-30; spot an error? Tell us. Read our editorial standards.