Max Holloway Opens Up About Personal Family Struggle in Heartfelt Message

Today, however, Holloway shared some deeply personal news of his family resolving a grueling five-year custody battle over his son, Rush Holloway, against Kaimana Pa'aluhi, Rush's biological mother and Max's ex-wife. The family also shared the emotional moment his wife, Alessa Quizon, legally became Rush’s mother. 

The former featherweight champion shared the news in a heartfelt Instagram post, revealing the family’s journey through adversity and the joy of finally closing what he claims was a painful chapter in their lives. The Hawaiian fighter, known for his resilience and skill in the cage, compared the legal struggle to his toughest bouts.

“Usually I don’t share much about my personal life, but this I want to share,” Holloway wrote. “I just won the hardest fight of my life. It’s been 5 years of dealing with custody battles, and now we finally get to close that difficult chapter.”

The Holloway family’s journey has been marked by public moments of tenderness, from Rush comforting his father after a loss to Dustin Poirier in 2019 to celebrating wins together cageside. 

Holloway’s caption paid tribute to his son’s strength, which read, “I thank my son for being brave and strong through it all. Thank you God. It’s a big win for the Holloways. But more importantly, Rush finally got to choose and keep the mom that he deserves.”

The adoption not only solidified their legal ties but also affirmed the deep emotional connection Rush shares with his now-legal mother, Alessa.

In Alessa’s Instagram post of the news, she shared her perspective on the family’s triumph.

“You never deserved to be neglected and have to pick up those broken pieces on your own,” Alessa wrote, addressing Rush directly. “You never deserved to be heartbroken. You never deserved that kind of love. That’s why I promise to always be there for you.”

The couple implied through their respective social media captions that Holloway’s ex-wife and Rush’s biological birth-mother, Kaimana Pa'aluhi, allegedly caused Rush emotional stress through neglect.

Pa'aluhi, however, reportedly took to social media to defend herself (Source: @UFCShosh on X)

"You may believe you've won. But who truly won here?" she wrote. "Not me. Not you. And certainly not our son."

Custody details remain private, as neither Alessa nor Max has addressed the specifics of this case. What is certain, however, is that the Holloway family is glad to put this case to rest.