Holloway fires back at 'cowards hiding behind' Makhachev's Instagram after belt jab

Max Holloway turned his frustration not on Islam Makhachev himself but on whoever runs the UFC lightweight champion’s Instagram account, firing back on a live stream after a social media post ridiculed his remark about Makhachev parading two belts at UFC 330 in Philadelphia on August 15.

Holloway had publicly questioned why Makhachev posed with both the lightweight and welterweight titles after his win over Ian Machado Garry, pointing out that only one belt was actually on the line that night. A reply posted from Makhachev’s account suggested Holloway simply didn’t understand what it was like to carry so many championships. “I don’t know, bro. It’s even too heavy to hold. But you don’t understand, sorry,” the post read.

Holloway, himself a former UFC featherweight champion and current BMF titleholder, was having none of it. Holding both of his own belts up on the live stream, he dismissed the notion that he lacks experience with championship gold. “I don’t know how heavy these are?” he said. “That guy got hit in his head too many times. I ain’t talking about Islam, I’m talking about the guy who’s running his IG for him.”

He then addressed the account’s operator directly. “I kind of know how heavy these are, bro. These boys are heavy. Don’t tell me I don’t know what they feel like. You gotta do homework on your boy. Don’t ever come for my throat, bro — especially when you’re hiding behind another man’s IG.”

Holloway was careful to separate Makhachev from the social media post, suggesting the champion himself was not the author. The distinction matters: Holloway’s grievance is with the person managing the account, not with Makhachev directly, leaving open the question of whether a genuine rivalry between the two fighters is actually brewing.

Holloway most recently competed at UFC 329 on July 11, defeating Conor McGregor via injury in the main event. He also noted, with some dry humour, that he is still waiting on a belt to commemorate that win. “I actually need to go to UFC.com and buy the Conor McGregor belt because they did not give me that,” he said.