Video: Max Holloway Moves to UFC Lightweight Division After KO Loss to Ilia Topuria | News, scores, highlights, stats and rumors

Max Holloway is ready to take on a new challenge.

The UFC Fighter announced this on his YouTube Channel that he will be leaving the featherweight division and moving to the lightweight division.

The move comes after Holloway fell to Illia Topuria in a UFC featherweight title match in the first knockout loss of his career on Oct. 26 at UFC 308.

Holloway said the decision to move up in the weight class had to do with the difficult process of losing weight and his desire to fight without that overwhelming stress.

“I think I’m done with the 145,” Holloway said. “155, here we come and 155 is where I want to say. This is a new chapter, this is where we start and this is where we start. I’m super excited about it, I can’t wait.”

He acknowledged that he “can never say never” about a possible return to featherweight, but said he is confident the move to lightweight will be permanent.

The 32-year-old has an overall record of 26-8 and had won his previous three fights. This was his fourth consecutive defeat to regain the Featherweight Championship and he has not had this honor since 2019.

He defeated Justin Gaethje in a lightweight bout in April and will now look to build his resume in a new weight class.