With 90 seconds remaining, Max Holloway stepped away from his opponent, Calvin Kattar, and said beside the broadcast team’s cage that he was the best UFC boxer. At ABC, the chain that has been home to boxing since the 1940s, Holloway more than proved his point with his strokes.
Holloway dominated Kattar by unanimous decision (50-43, 50-43, 50-42) on Saturday at one of the most unilateral main events in UFC history. Holloway is the former UFC featherweight champion and the most decorated 145-pound fighter of all time. Saturday’s fight may have been the best performance of his career at UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi.
Holloway then said he would stay in Abu Dhabi for another week and would be on hand, should anything happen, for UFC 257 main event fighters, Conor McGregor or Dustin Poirier.
UFC President Dana White, however, quickly rejected the idea, telling reporters that Holloway would come home to rest.
Even if it doesn’t, Holloway may be next in line for another title opportunity. ESPN placed Holloway in 2nd place and Kattar in 6th place in the world in the featherweight division. The card was the first UFC event to air on ABC and the first since 2018 to air on television.
The score was tied for the most unbalanced in a five-round fight in UFC history, along with a fight between Rich Franklin and David Loiseau at UFC 58 in 2006. The 50-42 score was only the second in UFC history, after Franklin vs. Loiseau.
Holloway has always been an exceptional striker. But he came out of the first round with a different kind of ferocity. Kattar landed some nice jabs and stiff right hands throughout. But for each of them, Holloway returned volleyball with long and diverse combinations, targeting the head, body, legs and more. Holloway hit hard elbows and knees in the stomach. The avid gamer was like a fighting video game character coming to life.
“If you’re not a fan of Max Holloway, you’re a hater,” said Kattar. “The boy is a beast. He did what he had to do. Good luck to him and I hope the next champion, because he deserves another chance.”
Saturday’s main event broke several records. According to UFC statistics, Holloway achieved the UFC record of 445 significant strokes, breaking the previous 290 mark he set against Brian Ortega at UFC 231. Along with the 133 significant strokes from Kattar’s career, the fight also established UFC records for significant combined strikes (578) and significant attack differential (312).
Holloway’s 141 significant strokes in the fourth round were also the most successful in a single round in UFC history.
The fight took place at Etihad Arena in front of a limited number of fans who passed through the COVID-19 protocols. It was the first public paid to witness a UFC event since last March.
The crowd was singing for Holloway early, because of their unrest. Kattar managed some good combinations in the first round, but by the end of the round Holloway’s pressure and versatile combinations for all parts of the body were taking over. Holloway came close to finishing second with long combinations, but Kattar remained strong despite being bled at the end of the round with an elbow. The only thing more impressive than Kattar’s toughness was Holloway’s endurance.
Holloway has not slowed down in the last few rounds. There were times when Kattar looked at his feet against the cage with Holloway pouring combination after combination, but referee Herb Dean didn’t stop him. At the end of Thursday, Holloway began to insult Kattar, dropping his hands and speaking to the commentary booth in a surprising display of confidence.
“He looked like Muhammad Ali tonight,” said former UFC double champion and ESPN analyst Daniel Cormier in the broadcast. “Max Holloway was floating and burning. It was unbelievable.”
Holloway (22-6) fell twice in a row to defending champion Alexander Volkanovski before this fight. Both fights were hotly contested and many thought Holloway won the second at UFC 251 in July. Holloway, 29, is the most accomplished featherweight in UFC history. He held some 145 pound title in the UFC from 2016 to 2019. Holloway, a native of Hawaii, has the most wins (17), the most wins by KO / TKO (8) and the most wins paralyzed (10) in UFC featherweight history.
Kattar (22-4) won two in a row and four of his last five entering. The Massachusetts native has four submissions in six UFC victories, known for his jab and strong right hand. Kattar, 32, came from a unanimous decision victory over Dan Ige last July.