Former UFC champion Max Holloway has finally gotten to the root of the issues that caused him to exhibit “concussion-like symptoms” ahead of his fight at UFC 226 in 2018.
The ordeal unfolded in the days leading up to Holloway’s scheduled match against Brian Ortega where his health deteriorated and he was ultimately forced to drop off the card. His management team at the time stated that had not been “normal” since the previous week and he had to be rushed to the emergency room for treatment.
A second trip to the emergency room decided Holloway’s fate for that particular fight. He was then forced to undergo numerous medical tests in the weeks and months after that event as he sought answers about what went wrong.
Now more than 12 months after that scenario unfolded, Holloway is revealing what exactly went wrong during that fight week, although he had to stay somewhat guarded with his answers because there is a potential legal situation brewing behind the scenes.
“That July fight, when we was getting ready, it was in Vegas. I had to fly to New York to do my media day. So from Hawaii to New York. We did 12 hours of media and then we went to Vegas, I think got to Vegas on Thursday. I just felt out of it,” Holloway said when speaking to Joe Rogan on his podcast.
“Not really cutting weight, we was dieting and stuff. Even the water thing, I drink diluted water fight week. Even before the fight, we drink diluted water. A couple days past and it wasn’t going away.”
According to Holloway, the culprit that led to his bizarre behavior and overall sluggishness during fight week was because of something he put into his body.
“I could tell exactly what it was. It was something we consumed,” Holloway said. “Like right now not that much people know, I left my old management. I’m with new management now and my manager now he’s like a behavioral science guy and he’s probably watching this stream squirming the way I’m talking about it but we got stuff going on.
“I’m looking to work on with lawyers and we plan on suing somebody. There’s a bunch of stuff that I really can’t talk about. That’s why he’s squirming back there. I probably shouldn’t be talking about it too much but that’s what it is. It was something I consumed. I don’t even know if I can tell you [what it was].”
Holloway didn’t want to state if it was a supplement he was taking but it appears he’s gearing up for a legal fight due to the physical trauma he endured not to mention the fight he missed due to his health issues.
The former featherweight king expects all of the information to eventually be released once his team deals with the legal ramifications surrounding the situation but for now he has to stay quiet about further details.
He’s personally allowing his management team to handle it while he stays focused on his fighting career, which now includes a mission to win back the 145-pound title he lost at UFC 245 this past weekend.
“We’ll see. I just left that to him,” Holloway said. “One of the great things that I love with the team, for me, I’m all about keeping the main thing, the main thing and the main thing for me is fighting and making sure whoever’s in front of me, whatever cupcake it is, I can enjoy that cupcake while they go do everything else for me.
“I’m looking to work on with lawyers and we plan on suing somebody. There’s a bunch of stuff that I really can’t talk about. That’s why he’s squirming back there. I probably shouldn’t be talking about it too much but that’s what it is. It was something I consumed. I don’t even know if I can tell you [what it was].”
Holloway didn’t want to state if it was a supplement he was taking but it appears he’s gearing up for a legal fight due to the physical trauma he endured not to mention the fight he missed due to his health issues.
The former featherweight king expects all of the information to eventually be released once his team deals with the legal ramifications surrounding the situation but for now he has to stay quiet about further details.
He’s personally allowing his management team to handle it while he stays focused on his fighting career, which now includes a mission to win back the 145-pound title he lost at UFC 245 this past weekend.
“We’ll see. I just left that to him,” Holloway said. “One of the great things that I love with the team, for me, I’m all about keeping the main thing, the main thing and the main thing for me is fighting and making sure whoever’s in front of me, whatever cupcake it is, I can enjoy that cupcake while they go do everything else for me.”
Max Holloway working on potential lawsuit over health issues that led to UFC 226 withdrawal
