Max Holloway is puzzled by Ilia Topuria sharing photos posing with a BMF championship belt.
Holloway recently defended the actual title belt with a decision win over Dustin Poirier at UFC 318 this past Saturday in New Orleans. Prior to that, Holloway was stopped by Topuria at UFC 308 in October in Topuria’s final featherweight fight.
Topuria moved on to the lightweight division and knocked out Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 in June to become the new 155-pound champion, and after Holloway’s win over Poirier,
Topuria tweeted a photo of the BMF title saying that the belt is “still mine.”
Still mine pic.twitter.com/1Z7qWeXXGM
— Ilia Topuria (@Topuriailia) July 20, 2025
After his victory over Poirier, Holloway was asked about Topuria’s tweet, and if “El Matador” has earned a BMF title fight.
“Oh, for sure,” Holloway said at the UFC 318 post-fight press conference. “At the end of the day, when the UFC didn’t put it up, it is what it is, you know?
“It just makes no sense what he’s doing walking around with it, or whatever. Did you see [Islam Makhachev] walking around with [another] champion’s belt after beating [Alexander Volkanovski] two times? You know what I mean? Like, the belt wasn’t on the line. Get over it, brother. Why did you spend money on a damn f*cking belt?”
Topuria and Holloway are now in the same division, and perhaps, the UFC could book a rematch between the two fighters. But with the first fight happening just nine months ago, it seems unlikely.
While both fighters will likely go on different paths — at least, for now — Holloway is still confused as to why Topuria continues to call himself the BMF champion.
“That’s just crazy to me,” Holloway said. “I know you’re rich and all, but that’s just a waste of money.”
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