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Max Holloway doesn’t hold back on Conor McGregor’s BKFC, it’s not a path he’ll take

Originally posted on HITC | By Jamie Theodosi | Last updated Oct 21, 2025 12:26 PM ET

Max Holloway has made it clear he will not be following the path of other UFC legends who moved to BKFC after their MMA careers.

While the current BMF champion is not planning on stepping away from fighting anytime soon, he has said that once he calls it a day, there will not be any comeback attempts or side ventures like bare-knuckle boxing.

Holloway has not been in action since July, when he took on Dustin Poirier in what turned out to be Poirier’s final fight before retirement. It was a rematch that also doubled as a send-off for ‘The Diamond’.

Since then, Holloway has received several callouts, including one from Charles Oliveira, which would be a matchup that fans are eager to see again.

Max Holloway dismisses any interest in bare-knuckle boxing

Plenty of fighters from Holloway’s era have come out of retirement to join BKFC, but the current UFC BMF champion says he will never be one of them.

The rise in BKFC’s profile can be traced back to Conor McGregor becoming a co-owner, with names like Eddie Alvarez, Mike Perry and Jeremy Stephens all making the switch. But ‘Blessed’ has no interest in following that path.

Speaking during a recent livestream, Holloway did not mince words about his feelings towards bare-knuckle boxing: “I ain’t ever going to bare-knuckle fighting, that’s the most stupidest thing ever in the world, when I’m retired, I’m retired.

“I’ll maybe do a boxing match but not bare-knuckle, man, that’s f—— ridiculous, people that do that, it’s next level.

“People that do (Power) Slap, bare-knuckle, bro, you guys are crazy. Like, the slap one is so nuts, like why would I wanna stand there and just be like, ‘Yeah you can slap me, I slap you’, that’s f—— crazy.”

Max Holloway is NOT interested in fighting Bare Knuckle

“That’s the most stupidest thing ever in the world. When I’m retired, I’m retired bro.”

@BlessedMMA pic.twitter.com/UQpPwmABxL
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) October 20, 2025

What is next for Max Holloway?

While he may be nearing the end of his career, there are still plenty of interesting options left on the table for the former featherweight champion.

Given their recent performances and career paths, a highly anticipated fight between Holloway and Oliveira in the 155lb division appears to be the most probable next step.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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