Max Holloway expertly mocked Conor McGregor's trip down memory lane

Conor McGregor tried to take a pleasant trip down memory lane and instead got subtly but expertly mocked by former opponent and fellow UFC champion Max Holloway.

First, a quick refresher: Back in 2013 at UFC Fight Night 26 – well before their eventual title reigns – McGregor and Holloway met in a preliminary-card matchup at Boston’s TD Garden. McGregor, fresh off a UFC-debut win over Marcus Brimage, scored a dominant decision victory over Holloway, a fresh-faced 21-year-old who debuted with the organization a year prior.

Both fighters’ careers have flourished since their fight together. McGregor became MMA’s biggest star, eventually won two UFC titles (though he may currently now have none), but has never registered a title defense as other pursuits, including a pair of non-title welterweight bouts with Nate Diaz and a lucrative pay-per-view boxing blockbuster with Floyd Mayweather, have kept him busy. Holloway, meanwhile, is 12-0 since that McGregor loss, won the featherweight title and defended it with a pair of victories over Jose Aldo, and has become a true fan favorite.

One reason fans have gravitated toward Holloway? The Hawaiian has a stellar social-media game, as we learned after McGregor recently posted about their 2013 fight (via Instagram):

This was just moments after I tore my ACL in a fight in Boston Massachusetts. It was when I faced off against the current featherweight champion Max Holloway, who I dismantled before and after this ligament tear, to win a lopsided victory. It was father against son in there that night in just my second UFC bout. Young Max is a hell of a fighter, I wonder what the future holds for my young Uce. Ligaments are needed in a fight definitely. Some can fight on however, where as some can not. I always think there are moments in your career that can make you or break you. I have had many in my storied career and this was most certainly one of them. God bless. Boston Strong ??

A post shared by Conor McGregor Official (@thenotoriousmma) on Feb 16, 2018 at 5:59pm PST

Here’s Holloway’s clever reply, in which he takes a poke at McGregor’s lack of title defenses – a fact many fans also repeatedly point out while criticizing “The Notorious” (via Instagram):

This was just moments after I dabbed in the octagon with my son after a fight in Detroit Michigan. It was when I faced off against the former featherweight champ and legend Jose Aldo who I stopped for the second time. It was a great legend against me in there that night in just my first title defense. Aldo is a hell of a fighter, I wonder what the future holds for my Brazilian brother. Getting paid is needed in a fight definitely. Some can find the motivation to defend no matter what however where as some can not. I always think there is a moment in your career that make you a true champion. It's when you find the motivation to keep earning what you already have, to defend. I have had one in my blessed career and this was most certainly the first of many #blessedera

A post shared by Max Holloway (@blessedmma) on Feb 17, 2018 at 5:10pm PST

The artistry might be better appreciated if the passages are put side by side.

Check it out, specifically rows No. 6 and 7:

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