Max Holloway has responded with humor and confusion to Justin Gaethje’s claim that he avenged their UFC 300 fight by defeating Ilia Topuria.
Gaethje handed Topuria his first loss at UFC Freedom 250 to claim the undisputed lightweight championship, and later suggested the victory served as payback for his last-second knockout loss to Holloway at UFC 300.
Holloway admitted he initially couldn’t believe Gaethje’s comments. “You know how things are AI, and people just put out fake-ass posters? I thought that was fake, and then I saw the video, and I was like, 'Holy sh*t,'” Holloway said.
He then poked fun at the logic behind Gaethje’s stance. “I was kind of tripping out. If you feel that way, then technically I beat Conor McGregor. Cause I beat Dustin (Poirier). So, I'm in great shoes.”
Despite the back-and-forth, Holloway kept the door open for the future while stressing there’s no bad blood. “All jokes aside, I don't know why he's saying that. Maybe he's just saying it to ruffle some feathers or whatever. I know he said that he couldn't hate me in there so maybe he's like baiting me to talk some sh*t so that if we do get a rematch he can be like, 'Look, he talked some sh*t now.' I've got nothing but love for Justin. If he thinks that way, he thinks that way, but at the end of the day the UFC is going to do what they think is best for UFC.”
Holloway now turns his attention to Conor McGregor, whom he faces at UFC 329 on July 11 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
