Max Holloway: Beating Ilia Topuria may not be enough for Fighter of Year

Max Holloway would love to win Fighter of the Year but believes Alex Pereira already has it "in the bag."

Holloway was asked about his chances of winning the honor as he prepares to face featherweight champion Ilia Topuria in Saturday's UFC 308 headliner in Abu Dhabi.

"I mean, I don't know, man," Holloway told combat sports reporter Kevin Iole's YouTube channel. "... The way Alex took fights -- he's the fastest guy to defend his title, right, with three title defenses (in 175 days)? That's a hard man to beat. Every time I'm in the talks for it, somebody's having a crazy year. I think Alex Pereira has got the win in the bag already."

Holloway (26-7 MMA, 22-7 UFC) also insisted he isn't looking past Topuria (15-0, 7-0).

"We'll see what happens," Holloway said. "First thing's first is Ilia Topuria. I'm not going to look past him. That guy's a dangerous man, and he deserves all the respect in the world from me and all my focus, so that's the first thing. Everything goes right come Oct. 26 and I get my hand raised, you can ask me that question after."

Holloway, 32, was the 2017 UFC Fighter of the Year. The Hawaii native's only fight this year was his thrilling, last-second knockout of Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 on April 13.

Pereira, the 37-year-old light heavyweight champion from Brazil, knocked out Jamahal Hill at UFC 300 and scored TKO victories over Jiri Prochazka at UFC 303 and Khalil Rountree Jr. at UFC 307.

--Field Level Media