With 90 seconds left, Max Holloway pulled away from his opponent, Calvin Kattar, and told the radio team that he was the best boxer in the UFC. On ABC, the network that has been home to boxing since the 1940s, Holloway proved more than his point with his punches.
Holloway dominated Kattar by unanimous decision (50-43, 50-43, 50-42) on Saturday in one of the most one-sided major events in UFC history. Holloway is the former UFC featherweight champion and the most decorated 145-pound wrestler of all time. Saturday’s fight could have been the best performance of his career at Abu Dhabi’s UFC Fight Night.
Holloway then said he will stay in Abu Dhabi for another week and make himself available if anything happens to UFC 257 main event fighters Conor McGregor or Dustin Poirier.
UFC president Dana White, however, quickly dismissed the idea and told reporters Holloway would go home to rest. Still, White had nothing but praise for Holloway’s performance, which he called “one of the greatest of all time, period, in the struggle.”
“I think people keep doubting Max and thinking, will old Max show up? The man who missed a step and all that?” White said. “He just doesn’t. A lot of people we all respect and know a lot about this sport chose Kattar to win tonight. Let’s give Kattar the respect he deserves too. It takes two to make a great fight. Amazing.”
Holloway could be next in line for another title opportunity. White said he believes Holloway “deserves” another shot against current welterweight champion Alexander Volkanovski, to whom Holloway has lost two fights, but Holloway will have to wait. Volkanovsky’s next fight will come against Brian Ortega on March 27 at UFC 260, sources told ESPN’s Ariel Helwani.
ESPN made Holloway No. 2 on the spot and Kattar No. 6 in the world in the featherweight division. The card was the first UFC event to air on ABC and the first since 2018 to air on network television.
The scorecards were tied for the most unbalanced in a five-round fight in UFC history, along with a bout between Rich Franklin and David Loiseau at UFC 58 in 2006. The 50-42 score was only the second UFC story after Franklin Vs. Loiseau.
Holloway has always been an outstanding striker. But he came out from the first round with a different ferocity. Kattar got some good punches and hard right hands. But for each of these, Holloway returned to volleyball with long, diverse combinations, aimed at the head, body, legs and more. Holloway landed his elbows and knees up to his gut. The avid gamer was like a fighting video game character coming to life.
“If you’re not a Max Holloway fan, you’re an enemy,” Kattar said. “The boy is a beast. He did what he had to do. Good luck to him and I hope the champion is next, because he deserves another shot.”
Saturday’s main event broke several records. According to UFC Stats, Holloway set a UFC record of 445 significant attacks, breaking the previous mark of 290 he set against Ortega in UFC 231. Along with the 133 best significant attacks of Kattar’s career, the fight also set UFC records. for combined significant attacks (578) and significant strike differential (312).
The 141 significant Holloway attacks landed in round 4 were also the most important in a single round in UFC history.
The fight took place at Etihad Arena in front of the limited number of fans who have passed through the COVID-19 protocols. He was the first paid audience to witness a UFC event since last March.
The crowd sang Holloway soon because of his bursts. Kattar got some nice combinations in the first round, but by the end of the round Holloway’s pressure and versatile combinations on all parts of the body were taking over. Holloway was about to finish second with long combinations, but Kattar remained strong despite being bled at the end of the round with an elbow. The only thing more impressive than Kattar’s toughness was Holloway’s endurance.
Holloway didn’t slow down at all in the final rounds. There were times when Kattar looked his feet against the cage with Holloway throwing combination after combination, but referee Herb Dean didn’t stop him. In the late fifth, Holloway began mocking Kattar, dropping his hands and talking to the comment booth in a startling show of confidence.
“He looked like Muhammad Ali tonight,” UFC double champion and ESPN analyst Daniel Cormier told the show. “Max Holloway floated and punctured. It was amazing.”
Holloway (22-6) fell twice in a row to Volkanovski before this fight. Both fights were very close, and many thought Holloway won second in UFC 251 in July. Holloway, 29, is the most accomplished featherweight in UFC history. He held some form of the 145-pound UFC title from 2016 to 2019. Holloway, a native of Hawaii, is the one with the most wins (17), the most KO / TKO wins (8) and the most stoppage wins. (10) in UFC Pen Weight History.
Kattar (22-4) had won two in a row and four of his last five incoming. The Massachusetts native has four finishes in six UFC wins, known for his puncture and booming right hand. Kattar, 32, won a unanimous victory over Dan Ige last July.