Max Holloway: The forgotten man of the Featherweight division

August 17, 2013, the T.D garden Boston Massachusetts, a then 21-year-old Max Holloway faced ‘The Notorious’ Conor McGregor in the octagon.

Prior to the contest, McGregor was 1-0 in his UFC career, after a TKO stoppage win over Marcus Brimmage.

Hawain Holloway was coming off a split-decision loss to Dennis Bermudez at UFC 160.

A fight with the now featherweight champion was an opportunity for Holloway to get back to winning ways.

But McGregor was named the unanimous victor, a tough loss for Holloway to endure considering he had five UFC bouts to McGregor’s one.

The clash remains the only occasion a UFC featherweight has taken McGregor the distance.

Holloway had five months to “dust himself off and try again” to steal a phrase from the late RnB singer Aaliyah.

His next fight took place in Singapore as the featured prelim against Will Chope.

Two minutes into round two Holloway scored a TKO finish.

It sparked the beginning of his monumental 9-0 run in the featherweight division.

Despite the impressive record, his UFC employers have failed to offer the MMA fighter a title shot.

The Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz feud reached Wrestlemania proportions at UFC 202 which will lead to an inevitable trilogy.

Featherweight titleholder McGregor is now aiming at becoming a two-weight world champion at UFC 205 against lightweight Eddie Alvarez.

Overlooked competitors Jose Aldo, the interim champion, who has requested his release from the UFC in frustration, and Max Holloway, are being forced to bide their time.

The McGregor circus has taken centre stage.

Since his loss to the Dubliner, Holloway (24) has done everything right, beating whoever has been placed in his path.

His barnyard brawl against Ricardo Lamas stands out.

However, with each victory he attains, another hurdle emerges, and thus, Max Holloway remains the forgotten man of the featherweight division.

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