Background and career
Jerome Max Keliʻi Holloway (born December 4, 1991) is an American professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is a former UFC Featherweight Champion and former symbolic UFC "BMF" titleholder. He is considered one of the greatest Featherweights of all time. As of January 27, 2026, he is #4 in the Meta UFC lightweight rankings. Holloway holds the UFC records for most significant strikes (3,681) and total strikes (3,980), with no other fighter within 1,000 of either mark. He also owns multiple UFC featherweight records, including most wins (20), longest winning streak (13), most finishes (11), and most knockout victories (9). Fight Matrix ranks him as the third-greatest featherweight of all time and the eighth-greatest pound-for-pound fighter in MMA history.
Holloway was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, and raised in Waiʻanae, an area known for fist fighting. He is of Native Hawaiian and Samoan descent. Holloway's parents were heavy drug users, his mother Missy Kapoi being a crystal meth consumer who later recovered. His father, Mark Holloway, who constantly abused his mother, left when Max was around 11 years old. Max started training in kickboxing in 2007 at the end of his sophomore year, aged 15, out of Team Ruthless, and went on to win his first amateur bout in the sport after three days of training. He graduated from Waiʻanae High School in 2010.
At the age of 19, Holloway had amassed a record of 4–0. He gained recognition as the #7 featherweight prospect of 2012 in Bloody Elbow's 2012 World MMA Scouting Report and was compared with former UFC and former WEC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis, due to his ability to incorporate a wide array of flying and spinning kicks, knees and elbows into his striking game. He would later go on to defeat Pettis to capture the UFC interim featherweight championship before unifying the title. For the first four fights of his MMA career, Holloway went by the nickname "Lil Evil" as a homage to former UFC fighter Jens Pulver whose nickname was "Little Evil". He changed it to "Blessed" after a fan approached him and asked why he would use the word "evil" in his nickname. His early career was highlighted by a split decision win over former Strikeforce and WEC veteran Harris Sarmiento on March 12, 2011, earning himself the lightweight strap for the Hawaii-based X-1 promotion.
Holloway was the youngest fighter on the UFC roster when he made his promotional debut as an injury replacement for Ricardo Lamas at UFC 143 on February 4, 2012, against Dustin Poirier. He lost the fight via submission (mounted triangle armbar) in the first round. In his second fight, Holloway faced Pat Schilling on June 1, 2012, at The Ultimate Fighter 15 Finale. Holloway won via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 30–27). Holloway defeated Justin Lawrence, on August 11, 2012, at UFC 150. Holloway won the fight via TKO in the second round. Holloway fought Leonard Garcia on December 29, 2012, at UFC 155, replacing an injured Cody McKenzie. Holloway won the close fight via split decision. Holloway faced Dennis Bermudez on May 25, 2013, at UFC 160. He lost the fight controversially via split decision. 11 out of 11 media members scored the fight in favor of Holloway. Holloway faced Conor McGregor on August 17, 2013, at UFC Fight Night 26. He lost the fight via unanimous decision.
Holloway faced promotional newcomer Will Chope on January 4, 2014, at UFC Fight Night 34. Holloway won the fight via TKO in the second round. The win also earned Holloway his first Knockout of the Night bonus. Holloway faced Andre Fili on April 26, 2014, at UFC 172. He won the back-and-forth fight after submitting Fili in the third round. Holloway was expected to face Mirsad Bektić on August 23, 2014, at UFC Fight Night 49, replacing an injured Ernest Chavez. However, Bektic pulled out of the bout in the week leading up to the event and was replaced by promotional newcomer Clay Collard. Holloway won the fight via TKO in the third round. Holloway again served as a replacement and faced Akira Corassani on October 4, 2014, at UFC Fight Night 53, filling in for Chan Sung Jung. He won the fight via knockout in the first round. The win earned Holloway his first Performance of the Night bonus award. Holloway faced Cole Miller on February 15, 2015, at UFC Fight Night 60. Holloway won via unanimous decision. Holloway faced Cub Swanson on April 18, 2015, at UFC on Fox 15. Holloway finished the fight with a mounted guillotine in the third round. The win also earned Holloway his second Performance of the Night bonus award. Holloway faced Charles Oliveira on August 23, 2015, at UFC Fight Night 74. He won the fight via TKO in the first round after Oliveira suffered an apparent neck/shoulder injury while defending a takedown and was unable to continue. The injury was later described as a micro-tear in his esophagus, although the UFC later released a statement clarifying that Oliveira had no major injuries. With the win, Holloway became the youngest fighter in UFC history to get 10 wins. Holloway faced Jeremy Stephens on December 12, 2015, at UFC 194. Holloway won the fight via unanimous decision. Holloway faced Ricardo Lamas on June 4, 2016, at UFC 199. He won via unanimous decision.
Holloway faced Anthony Pettis for the interim UFC Featherweight Championship on December 10, 2016, at UFC 206. At the weigh-ins, Pettis came in at 148 lbs., three pounds over the featherweight limit of 145 lbs for a championship fight. As a result, in case Pettis were to win the fight with Holloway, he would be ineligible for the UFC championship. Pettis was also fined 20% of his purse, which went to Holloway and the bout proceeded at a catchweight. Holloway won the fight via TKO in the third round and was awarded a Performance of the Night bonus. Holloway faced the featherweight champion José Aldo in a title unification bout on June 3, 2017, at UFC 212. After facing some early adversity, Holloway defeated Aldo via TKO in the third round and earned his first Fight of the Night bonus award for the bout.
