Max Holloway brutally shuts down fighting bare-knuckle after UFC retirement: “Stupidest thing”

BMF champion Max Holloway doesn’t have any plans of following up his legendary UFC tenure with a move to the bare-knuckle boxing ring.

Several UFC legends have made the move from the Octagon to the ring in recent years, most notably Mike Perry and Darren Till. Perry has become the face of bare-knuckle fighting with his electric tenure in Bare Knuckle FC, while Till remains unbeaten in his boxing career after recently knocking out former UFC champ Luke Rockhold.

The UFC, and MMA as a whole, has thrived with a showcase of technique and power inside the Octagon. Once fighters leave the cage, they’ve went on to pursue other ventures, including bare-knuckle and traditional boxing.

Enter Max Holloway, who famously declared himself as the best boxer in the UFC during his fight against Calvin Kattar in 2021. While Holloway possesses some of the best boxing in UFC history, he has no interest in taking off the gloves and fighting in BKFC once his promotional tenure concludes.

Max Holloway shuts down any chance of fighting bare-knuckle after ending UFC career

In a recent stream on his KICK channel, one follower asked Holloway if he’d ever fight bare-knuckle, and gave a brutally honest response.

“I ain’t never going to do bare-knuckle fighting, that’s the most stupidest thing ever in the world,” Holloway declared.

“When I’m retired, I’m retired. Maybe do a boxing match – but not a bare-knuckle one. People who do that is next level. People who do [Power Slap], bare-knuckle, you guys are crazy. Actually crazy.

“[Power Slap] is so nuts. Why would I want to just stand there? You slap me and I slap you? That’s actually crazy.”

Holloway’s former rival, Conor McGregor, became a co-owner of BKFC last year and is a vocal promoter of the brand. McGregor has teased potentially fighting in BKFC at least once in his fighting career.