Why does Max Holloway not spar? Looking at the ex-UFC champ's unique training methods
Former UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway is heralded among the most durable fighters in the sport of MMA and all combat sports. 'Blessed' has been a professional mixed martial arts fighter since Sept. 2010 and has been competing in the UFC since Feb. 2012. With that in mind, many have time and again lauded him for his longevity in the fight game.
Given that he's been a staple of the UFC and fought the best in the world for so long, Holloway's found himself receiving considerable punishment on a few occasions inside the octagon. On that note, one of his best-known abilities is that of enduring frightening amounts of punishment in some of his fights and still having his legendary durability intact.
Many attribute that to the veteran fighter's lack of sparring. For his part, Holloway is known as one of the most prominent MMA athletes who is leading the charge to usher a change in the fight game by discarding unnecessary sparring from his training regime.
Why does Max Holloway not spar? Looking at the ex-UFC champ's unique training methods
Back in July 2020, Max Holloway suffered a unanimous decision defeat against Alexander Volkanovski in their trilogy bout with the UFC featherweight title at stake. Around that time, the COVID-19 pandemic was wreaking havoc across the world, which, in turn, affected many fighters too and disallowed them from training with their sparring partners.
Around that time, Holloway and many others trained and sparred virtually via Zoom calls and other means. In the ensuing years, 'Blessed' notably resumed real-life sparring. However, before or after the pandemic's peak, the Hawaiian fighter has always suggested that he spars less than most top-tier combat sports professionals.
In an April 2023 edition of The MMA Hour podcast, Ariel Helwani hosted Max Holloway after the latter's one-sided unanimous decision win over Arnold Allen. Helwani asked 'Blessed' whether he still abides by the no sparring rule. The former UFC featherweight kingpin responded by clarifying that he does spar, albeit not as much as others.
The striking savant noted that he'd completely stopped sparring during the pandemic, likely going to two fight camps with no sparring, primarily due to the COVID-related restrictions. Regardless, he started sparring sparingly again and has been using motion sparring (mimicking actual sparring) in his training.
Max Holloway also implied that he avoided fight camp sparring as he cut weight during that time, which resulted in his getting scrawny, which increased the probability of his getting injured. Expounding upon that and his motion sparring, 'Blessed' stated:
"I spar outside of camp. So, I don't spar inside of camp. I would do sparring outside of camp because most of my injuries and stuff came from sparring. And it would be like, a couple of weeks before the fight when I'm getting down, I'm getting scrawny and stuff. So, we spar outside of fight here and there."
"But we still do 'motion sparring.' So, the guy can give me that look, and we can be stuck like that. Because, half the times, we'd be like, 'Oh, look. Yeah, give me this look.' And then, I start having my way in sparring, and they just go back to their regular look because it's more competitive sparring versus trying to mimic someone."
Check out Max Holloway's comments below (28:04):
Max Holloway sparring: When 'Blessed' cautioned others against hard sparring at the gym
Max Holloway is set to move up to the lightweight division again. 'Blessed' is booked to fight current BMF champion Justin Gaethje for the latter's title in a lightweight bout. Their highly-anticipated showdown will take place at UFC 300 on April 13, 2024.
Given Holloway's move from the 145 to the 155-pound weight class, many believe that it'd be neurologically and holistically beneficial, as he would face comparatively lesser dehydration during his weight cuts. 'Blessed,' for one, has long been vocal about the measures he adopts to ensure his health is top-tier form in the long run.
Before his fight against Arnold Allen in April 2023, Holloway spoke to Daniel Cormier on 'DC's' YouTube channel and imparted invaluable advice to other fighters and sparring enthusiasts for their health. The 32-year-old underscored that his strategy of negligible sparring helps him steer clear of damage at the gym and conserve his durability for his professional fights.
Moreover, 'Blessed' alluded to legendary fighters such as Jose Aldo and Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua consistently participating in hard sparring sessions at the iconic Chute Boxe fight camp. Warning others not to engage in such grueling sparring, Holloway said:
"I'm no longer taking damage in the gym. [Jose] Aldo and [Mauricio Rua] they were at Chute Boxe, right? You saw how they train? ... We take less damage in the gym so if we do take damage it can be in the fight."
Watch Max Holloway's assessment below (10:30):