Produced by Waianae High School’s award-winning media program in 2009, a video segment reported by student Amber De Marco for Searider News was presciently titled “MAXimum Potential.”

A little more than a minute into the piece, De Marco appeared on camera to provide context as to why, beyond his apparent talent and obvious fondness for mixed martial arts, a senior named Max Holloway had a story worth telling.

“Max’s attitude reflects nothing of Waianae’s reputation of chronic drug use, rising homelessness and violence,” De Marco said. “Max is determined to break the stereotype.”

It didn’t require a deep dive into Holloway to understand what he intended to do with with life, but the segment shed plenty of light on how a teenager from the westside of Oahu turned out intense enough to accomplish what he wanted: a life as an elite UFC champion.

The portrayal captured a teenager, who grew up a child of drug-addled parents, committed to never giving up, with an acknowledgment that his troubled mother, Missy Kapoi, refused to abandon him while his father had, and that was at the base of his purpose and drive.

“You shouldn’t even give up. Like, what is that?” Holloway told Searider News prior to delivering a line that ranks among the first of many wise words he supplied the media since gaining notoriety. “If you give up, you’re a certified loser. If you try, at least you’re a winner in your book.”

Determined not to end up like many of the people he knew, Holloway focused on channeling a desire to quiet doubters. Take Saturday: Holloway’s record 13th straight win in the UFC at 145 pounds, a clear decision victory over Frankie Edgar in UFC 240’s pay-per-view headliner. Holloway was the betting favorite, the projected winner over a once-great 37-year-old former champion. However, it was the negative, the doubt, that pushed him forward.

“All I kept hearing was I wasn’t going to be able to handle Frankie’s pace. I wasn’t going to be able to handle his wrestling. I never fought no one like Frankie before,” Holloway (21-4) said after the bout. “So I had in my plan in my mind to go out there and show everybody why I’m the best in the world.”

Nearly a decade after showing the world the seeds of his future, the now 27-year-old Hawaiian is unquestionably one of the best fighters on the planet.

Holloway’s latest success over the weekend in Edmonton adds Edgar to a list of vanquished opponents, including Andre Fili, Cub Swanson, Charles Oliveira, Jeremy Stephens, Ricardo Lamas, Anthony Pettis, Jose Aldo (twice) and Brian Ortega.

The stockpiling of victories was impressive enough to land Holloway a shot at the interim 155-pound belt in April against Dustin Poirier, who also defeated Holloway in the Hawaiian’s octagon debut at the age of 20 during just his fifth pro fight.

In some ways the rematch, seven years removed from the first encounter, made Holloway look like a kid again compared to Poirier, who seemed to muscle up Max. (As a result, UFC President Dana White said he doesn’t want to see Holloway fight at lightweight again, but telling “Blessed” what he’s not going to do has never worked.) In others it provided Holloway a chance to (re)build upon the beyond-his-years point he made to De Marco in 2009.

If a person who gives up is a certifiable loser, what would the opposite be?

“A true champion is a guy who can get knocked down and get right back on top of the reigns and keep chugging along,” Holloway said on Saturday as his 7-year-old son, Rush, sat on his lap. “All these guys, everybody, you don’t really see someone’s character until they get tested. If someone is great all the time and that’s all you know and they’ve never ever had failure, you really don’t know how great they are. They’ve got to run into problems to find out how great they are and find themselves. This is one of those lessons.”

The most important recipient of this wisdom was Rush, who before his dad’s failed title push at 155 pounds in April hadn’t seen his father, his hero, lose.

By returning to the win column against a determined Edgar, one of the best lighter-weight fighters in the history of the UFC, Holloway proved that a growing chorus of questions over his health — especially after the brawls with Poirier and Ortega, and a particularly troublesome moment in which it seemed as if concussive symptoms might get in the way of the Hawaiian’s title run — doesn’t mean much as far as he’s concerned.

Max Holloway celebrates his UFC 240 victory over Frankie Edgar. (Sergei Belski / USA Today)

“I’m trying to be the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world – not the best featherweight in the world,” Holloway said. “Frankie is one of those guys to get me one step closer to that goal.”

With 17 career wins in the UFC, Holloway has amassed enough victories to be considered one of the most successful fighters ever to step into the octagon. Those 13 straight wins in his division ties him with Jon Jones at 205 pounds, Anderson Silva (185) and Demetrious Johnson (125) for the most consecutive wins in a weight class.

“I’m just trying to be a legend,” he said. “I’m just trying to be the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world, and those are the names I need to be up there with. That’s respect. All this GOAT talk, it doesn’t effect me.”

Holloway has been active, fighting 14 rounds over the past seven-and-a-half months. After beating the former lightweight champion from New Jersey, Holloway said he’s up to make it 19 rounds in less than a year with one more fight at 145.

“He’s the best to do it right now,” Edgar said. “I’ve got tremendous respect for Max. I did before the fight, and even more so now.”

The likeliest opponent for Holloway would be Alexander Volkanovski (20-1), who traveled to Edmonton to keep close tabs on the action. The 30-year-old Australian hopes Holloway will be medically cleared to appear at the UFC 243 stadium show in Melbourne on Oct. 5.

Fresh off a win over Jose Aldo, Volkanovski believes he presents as tough a challenge as Holloway has faced. If he’s correct and can handle Holloway’s pressure, that may be true. For as much as Holloway has accomplished, it’s the challengers in front of him who raise the specter of true greatness despite receiving mentions in some circles as the best featherweight in history. Holloway won’t put himself above Aldo until he surpasses the Brazilian’s record seven consecutive title defenses at that weight.

If the powerful Volkanovski is added to Holloway’s list, next in line could be Zabit Magomedsharipov. Or Josh Emmett. Or Yair Rodriguez. Or Arnold Allen. Or someone who isn’t on the radar yet, based on the depth of talent at 145.

As counterintuitive as this may sound, the risks associated with fighting sometimes can’t compare to the risks of not fighting.

“I’m trying to be able to walk and talk and be fine,” Holloway said of the outlook on his career.

“It’s something only a fighter knows,” he continued. “This sport is crazy. Me and one of my head coaches always joke around about the last meal before I fight. He always says, ‘Eat whatever you want. This might be your last meal.’ That’s the way we approach it because we’re warriors.”

Holloway knows that nothing is guaranteed, no matter much attention he receives, no matter what he’s done in the past.

(Top screen grab courtesy of Searider News)