Max Holloway supports Ilia Topuria as latter will sit out early-2026 for personal reasons: “I know the struggle first hand”

Max Holloway and Ilia Topuria threw down in the octagon at one point, but nowadays, the former is offering his support to the latter amid a difficult time.

On his X account @Topuriailia, the reigning UFC lightweight champion came out to put the kibosh on some of the recent rumors surrounding a potential return to the cage for him. Rumblings of a January 2026 bout defending his 155-pound crown against Paddy Pimblett kept circulating through the rumor mill until, on his personal social media, Topuria stated,

“I won’t be fighting in the first quarter of next year. I’m going through a difficult moment in my personal life. I want to focus on my children and resolve this situation as soon as possible. I don’t want to hold up the division. The UFC will make the matchups needed, and as soon as the matters are resolved I’ll let the UFC know I’m ready to begin my return.”

The man Topuria claimed the featherweight crown from Max ‘Blessed’ Holloway, offered up his empathy within the tweet thread where Holloway said,

“Sorry to hear champ. If it’s what I’m hearing it is I know the struggle first hand trying to fight while protecting your kids. Hope all goes well.”

The Spanish-Georgian mixed martial artist acknowledged the kindness that was shown from the BMF champion as Ilia Topuria quipped,

“Thanks for the support, brother. All the best for you and your family.”

Max Holloway and Ilia Topuria’s UFC championship clash

Max Holloway and Ilia Topuria threw down at UFC 308, with Holloway emphatically halted in his pursuit of sitting upon the 145-pound throne once again. Topuria notched the knockout in the third frame of the fight and became the first man in UFC history to KO Holloway as he simultaneously authored his first featherweight title defense.

That unprecedented striking-based stoppage of Holloway capped off a massive 2024 campaign for the undefeated MMA fighter after knocking out Alexander Volkanovski to capture the featherweight crown earlier last year. Topuria has since moved up to lightweight and claimed the 155-pound crown with a KO of Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 in June.