Waianae’s Max Holloway is leaving the featherweight division.

In a video from his personal YouTube channel Posted on Saturday, Holloway announced his intention to move up from the 145-pound weight class to the lightweight (155-pound) class.

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Holloway is considered one of the best players in the UFC in the featherweight division. From January 4, 2014 to July 27, 2019, he won 14 consecutive fights at 145, including the last five for the belt.

On October 26, Holloway lost by knockout to Ilia Topuria in the UFC featherweight title fight, which also served as the main event of UFC 308. It was the first knockout loss of his career.

“I can honestly say I think I’m done at 145,” Holloway said in his video. “We’re just getting older, I’ll be 33 (in December). …It’s a new chapter. This is where we start, this is where we start and I’m very excited about it.

Holloway joked that although his last weight loss at 145 went well, he had to give up ramen, which he didn’t like. He also said the cut took a toll on his body, even if everything was going well.

“Never say never, but I can honestly look you in the eye and say I’ll probably never go back to (featherweight),” he said. “I loved what I did, I did what I did, I did what I had to do there. I worked my way back, worked my way back to the championship fight many times.

With a career mixed martial arts record of 26-8, including 22-8 in the UFC, only two of Holloway’s UFC fights took place outside of the featherweight division. The first was for the UFC interim lightweight title, a unanimous decision loss to Dustin Poirier in April 2019.

Five years later, Holloway defeated Justin Gaethje in an electrifying last-second knockout at UFC 300 in April. in a lightweight fight, creating one of the most electrifying moments in the history of the sport.

Holloway is the only UFC fighter ranked in multiple divisions. He is currently the number 2 featherweight and number 5 lightweight. He stated his preference to return to the octagon at the UFC’s International Fight Week event in the summer of 2025, which takes place annually in Las Vegas.

“The blessed express is still moving,” Holloway said at the end of his video. “Make sure you get your tickets.” Make sure to take your seats. Buckle up, because we’re rolling, baby. See you later, guys.

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