"Nate Diaz's hasn't" - Sean O'Malley reacts to Alexander Volkanovski saying Max Holloway's chin is going to 'give out' at some point
Sean O'Malley is in awe of Max Holloway's ability to withstand strikes inside the octagon. Although Holloway is known for pressuring his opponents with his slick boxing and volume striking, 'Blessed' has time and again proved that he has a rock-solid chin.
Following Holloway's latest five-round war against Yair Rodriguez, Alexander Volkanovski claimed that the Hawaiian's chin is going to break at some point if he keeps getting tagged in fights.
While admitting Holloway is a world-class striker, the reigning UFC featherweight champion pointed out that 'Blessed' sometimes exposes himself to opponents in order to land his shots. Speaking on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, the Australian had this to say:
"Man, Max eats a lot of shots. He’s a volume striker, but he’s happy to eat one to give a couple. But, I mean, how long can that last? I’m telling you, that chin’s going to go soon. It is going to go soon. You cannot cop that much damage. Yeah, they’re talking about 3000 strikes he’s [landed], which is incredible. Clap for that. But he’s probably in the 1000s or 2000s of absorption as well. There you go, that’s not healthy."
Watch the full interview with Alexander Volkanovski below:
Sean O'Malley, however, feels otherwise. He hails Max Holloway for being tough as nails and doesn't believe his chin is bound to go soft in the future. Citing the example of Nate Diaz, who is known for having an iron chin as well, O'Malley alluded that the same could be the case for Holloway.
In the latest episode of the Bro Malley Show alongside his brother, O'Malley had this to say:
"Nate Diaz's hasn't."
Catch a segment of the episode below:
Max Holloway has never been knocked down or knocked out inside the octagon, while Nate Diaz has suffered just one knockout loss in his entire career.
Max Holloway is expected to take on Alexander Volkanovski in a trilogy fight next year
Max Holloway is expected to challenge Alexander Volkanovski for the title in a trilogy fight down the line. The pair have fought each other twice previously, with 'The Great' emerging victorious on both occasions.
In the build-up to his fight against Yair Rodriguez, Holloway discussed what the future might hold for him. The Hawaiian alluded to a move up to the lightweight division, as well as a potential showdown with Conor McGregor.
The Irishman added fuel to the fire as he posted a video of himself seemingly stalking Holloway through a TV screen.
Looks like @TheNotoriousMMA is keeping his eye on @BlessedMMA 👀 https://t.co/uJ1F0euNGZ
While Holloway has been vying for a potential fight with McGregor, UFC president Dana White rejected the idea for now. According to White, the trilogy fight against Volkanovski is the next fight to make for Max Holloway.
Dana White says a Volkanovski-Holloway trilogy fight "makes sense" after #UFCVegas42 https://t.co/fGdGVKuNmU