Max Holloway wants Conor McGregor or Jose Aldo at UFC 200

Max Holloway’s management is supposed to touch base with UFC brass this week, and the UFC featherweight standout hopes the meeting will produce some good news.

“Ideally, it would be Conor McGregor – I want to fight for the belt,” he told MMAjunkie Radio. “UFC 199 or 200, whatever one,” he said. “If they ever come to Hawaii this year, I’ll get on that one, too.”

The UFC’s summer pay-per-view cards in June and July offer an attractive timetable for Holloway. The only issue now is getting a desirable opponent.

For most in the UFC, an eight-fight win streak would mean a title shot. That’s not necessarily so for Holloway (15-3 MMA, 11-3 UFC). At this current moment, there are no guarantees in the 145-pound division.

Holloway’s surge comes at a time when Conor McGregor’s shadow looms large in the promotion. Everyone is waiting to see what champ’s next move is after a loss to Nate Diaz in a welterweight contest at UFC 196.

When McGregor (19-3 MMA, 7-1 UFC) mused about his future after his fall to earth, Holloway’s name didn’t come up. So where does that leave him?

“A lot of people have been telling me that I need to win more fights to get these high profile fights, but let me prove myself,” he said. “I want to fight one of them three and see what happens.”

Behind the scenes, he believes the Irish champ isn’t the sole voice in matchmaking decisions. Or maybe he just hopes so.

“I think they make him look like he’s calling the shots, but I think the UFC, at the end of the day, are a promotion,” he said. “They’re paying him.”

If there’s one positive to Holloway’s current path, it’s that he’s been able to bank money as he racks up more non-title fights. He fought four times in 2014 and 2015 and only recently took a pause to repair nagging injuries and undergo thumb surgery.

“I got a house here in Hawaii, so that’s great,” he said. “And we went to Disneyland at the beginning of this year, so I’m able to take care of my family. Life is good right now.”

But ultimately, Holloway is here to fight and win a title, which means three names jump to the forefront: McGregor, Jose Aldo and Frankie Edgar.

Holloway would gladly accept a bout with ex-champ Aldo (25-2 MMA, 7-1 UFC) if his manager emerged from this week’s meeting with that name. In fact, he said, it’s the one that’s most frequently been floated since he picked up a decision over Jeremy Stephens this past December at UFC 194.

“The fans, (they’ve been) pretty vocal to me; they’d rather I fight Jose Aldo,” he said. “So I’ll probably fight Jose because they like that style. I’d love that, and he can fight Frankie, too.”

Edgar (20-4-1 MMA, 14-4-1 UFC), of course, is pushing hard on his own for a title shot after being promised one by UFC President Dana White. The ex-lightweight champ is on a five-fight win streak padded by three top contenders, Cub Swanson, Urijah Faber and Chad Mendes, whom McGregor knocked out to win the interim belt.

The last time Holloway tasted defeat, it was at McGregor’s hands. The subsequent names on his resume don’t carry the same weight, but the way McGregor opponents seem prone to injury, he might end up getting the opportunity to fight for the title anyway.

So regardless of what the upcoming meeting produces, he’ll volunteer to jump in if an opening appears.

“For sure, I’ll stay in shape, and if the call comes, the call comes,” he said. “You’ve got to be ready to fight whenever, wherever, and whoever. I’ll stay ready. A lot of people don’t understand, half of my fights in the UFC were short-notice, because I want to stay ready and I want to fight.”

For more on the UFC’s upcoming schedule, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.

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