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At UFC 206, Max Holloway won the UFC interim featherweight championship by stopping Anthony Pettis in the third round. For months prior to that, he had been chasing down a fight with then-interim champion Jose Aldo, and after stopping Pettis, (when Aldo had be promoted to full fledged UFC champion) Holloway got on the mic and started building up a title unification bout by creating the social media hashtag #Where’sJoseWaldo.
Well apparently he’s down in Brazil and Holloway is excited about having found him because yesterday on Submission Radio, Holloway talked about his upcoming title shot against Aldo at UFC 212 and the long, difficult circumstances it took to get the fight.
“It’s crazy. I thought we were all men here, but they’re trying to chase [Conor McGregor] around, trying to get this and that. It is what it is. If it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be. I ain’t chasing nobody. I’m gonna make my damn self my own money fight. I was kind of irritated that I might have to be out a little longer, that’s why I got the movie so I’m fine with it, but at the end of the day, it’s just kind of mind boggling. I was just mind blown. If that’s what [Aldo] wanted to do, that’s what he wanted to do, but I’m gonna get ready and focus on 145 [pounds] at the moment. If opportunities present itself, I’m gonna take it, but I’m not gonna go out there and start begging like half these guys out there.”
Aldo has been trying to get a rematch with Conor McGregor since losing to him at UFC 194 but has yet to even come close. After McGregor won the lightweight title at UFC 205 and it appeared McGregor would no longer fight at featherweight, Aldo made comments about chasing him up the the lightweight division. There was even some discussion of an interim title lightweight title fight against Khabib Nurmagomedov. Ultimately, none of that came to fruition and though Holloway wasn’t happy about it, he understood Aldo’s position.
“I think if you’re a champion you should defend the title, but at the end of the day, if you get offered to fight this guy for six zeros at the end of a number or you get offered to fight this guy with five zeros at the end of a number, it’s pretty easy to choose which one you’re gonna take. It’s a business and at the end of the day it’s a short-lived business. Fighting is short-lived. We can’t do this forever and you’re trying to make sure you’re okay with life after and make sure you can retire a happy man or happy woman at the point. So you can’t blame them but at the end of the day some people have different goals.”
Holloway’s goal is to become only the third champion in the history of the UFC featherweight division. But to do so he’s going to have to face the greatest featherweight in history in his own backyard, a venue many fighters and fans believe make it more difficult for non-native fighters to win in. Holloway isn’t concerned though. In fact, he relishes the opportunity.
“This is what kings do. Kings go to other kings’ villages and they take over. That’s what they do and that’s what I have planned come June 3rd. I’m gonna go there and show everybody why I’m a king and what better place to do it than in his backyard, in his own village.”
Max Holloway fights Jose Aldo for the undisputed UFC featherweight championship in the main event of UFC 212 on June 3rd in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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Trilogy. Josh Thomson calls his trilogy with Gilbert Melendez “the greatest trilogy in history.”
Redemption. The Ultimate Fighter Redemption cast has been revealed including some past TUF winners.
MEDIA STEW
Ferguson.
Tommy selling out.
Jay Glazer on MayGregor.
More MayGregor stuff.
Conor with the class.
Bellator fight week.
LISTEN UP
Heavy Hands.
Bushido Talk.
5 Rounds.
TWEETS
Conspiracy theory here is that Lorenzo, who used to head up the NSAC boxing commission, met with Conor to try and figure out how to make MayGregor happen.
And Floyd.
— Floyd Mayweather (@FloydMayweather) February 15, 2017
Welcome back.
I want to thank my fans for all of the amazing support you guys have given me on twitter this AM I'm happy to be back home @ufc
— David Branch (@DavidcBranchMMA) February 15, 2017
Those are two very, very different brands.
Diaz or Chiesa which one of yall gonna step up?
— The Diamond (@DustinPoirier) February 16, 2017
Nate Quarry talking about his time on TUF.
@DamonMartin @ScottieNS13 it was $500 a week when I was on. 24/7. Less than I was paid in construction. And it didn't go up I was told.
— Nathan Quarry (@NateRockQuarry) February 16, 2017
@Chris81203 and we fought for free. Unless we finished the fight we got nothing. No sponsors even on the fight night.
— Nathan Quarry (@NateRockQuarry) February 16, 2017
Would watch.
. Who's down to see @FrankieEdgar and I mix it up? Been a fan of his for a long time, I'm in this to fight the best. @ufc
— Ricardo Lamas (@RicardoLamasMMA) February 15, 2017
Middle of May...I'm game #anybodyanywhere https://t.co/IUwCjhCRcn
— Frankie Edgar (@FrankieEdgar) February 15, 2017
Ice cold.
@LaurenMurphyMMA @TheHurricaneMMA up to me? Lol sure Lauren try to make people believe that wouldn't u cornball.are you stil even employed?
— Jessica Eye (@jessicaevileye) February 15, 2017
Im still on the roster. The real question is, why are YOU still on the roster-Lots of men w less losses in a row than you were cut last week https://t.co/OG5MpgOaTW
— Lauren Murphy (@LaurenMurphyMMA) February 16, 2017
Nah.
So @GeorgesStPierre coming back. Bet if @seanshelby calls him to fight me he'd be hurt too #easymoney #makeCanadaGreatAgain
— Jorge Masvidal UFC (@GamebredFighter) February 15, 2017
Decisioning Bryan Barbarena got everyone scared apparently.
- That's the new emoji for the @ufc welterweight division.
— Colby Covington (@ColbyCovMMA) February 15, 2017
Bubba.
I thought they were fighters first? Why would they try & get in front of the story and put out there that they released me #BubbavsBellator
— Bubba Jenkins (@BubbaJenkinsMMA) February 15, 2017
Is it me or are many things not making sense with the #BubbavsBellator story ask urself, R we missing something. Chances r VERY high u r
— Bubba Jenkins (@BubbaJenkinsMMA) February 15, 2017
Farewell.
I just want to thank @danawhite @seanshelby @ufc for giving me the opportunity throughout the years. This was my last MMA time to hang it up
— Phillipe Nover (@PhillipeNover) February 15, 2017
T-Wood.
Let me know when you guys do my version of the extended promo and I'll retweet it. His came out great https://t.co/mIVGv5QI8S
— Tyron T-Wood Woodley (@TWooodley) February 16, 2017
Good job, good effort.
Hey @JoeWarrenMMA are your underwear made in Tokyo? Bc I'm tryna get in Ja-panese at @rizin_PR #Rizin2017 #RizinFF
— Anthony Birchak (@abirchakMMA) February 13, 2017
Cool story.
My new favorite thing.
Highlights of Amanda Nunes brutality from @LegKickTKO that had me the moment those hammerfists synced w/ the bass. https://t.co/vT5QqtJoWi
— Chad Dundas (@chaddundas) February 15, 2017
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
N/A.
TODAY IN MMA HISTORY
1996: Don Frye submitted Gary Goodridgeto win the UFC 8 tournament and Ken Shamrock defeated Kimo Leopoldo to defend the UFC Superfight championship.
2013: Renan Barao submitted Michael McDonald to retain the UFC interim bantamweight championship at UFC on Fuel TV 7.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Can we really call it the undisputed featherweight championship when Conor definitely disputes it? Food for thought.
Anyway, take it easy everyone and see y’all tomorrow.
If you find something you'd like to see in the Morning Report, just hit me up on Twitter @JedKMeshew and let me know about it. Also follow MMAFighting on Instagram and add us on Snapchat at MMA-Fighting because we post dope things and you should enjoy them.
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