Joe Rogan hates Justin Gaethje matchup for Max Holloway at UFC 300: Lightweights are too big
Joe Rogan is not a fan of the Justin Gaethje vs. Max Holloway matchup at UFC 300.
Gaethje (25-4 MMA, 8-4 UFC) defends his BMF title against former featherweight champion Holloway (25-7 MMA, 21-7 UFC) on April 13 in Las Vegas.
Holloway competed once at 155 pounds in his UFC career when he lost a Fight of the Night war to Dustin Poirier for the interim title in April 2019. Poirier is coming off a knockout loss to Gaethje at UFC 291, and Rogan thinks Holloway may be too small for lightweight.
“You know what I hate? Max is a great ’45-pounder, but Dustin Poirier beat him up at ’55 pounds,” Rogan said during the UFC 297 episode of his Fight Companion on Spotify. “I think those guys are a little too big.”
Despite losing to featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski three times, Rogan thinks Holloway still is in the title picture. He sees Holloway losing luster if he’s unsuccessful against Gaethje, even if he’s competing at a weight class above.
“Max is right there in the hunt for the (featherweight) title,” Rogan said. “(When) Volkanovski gets done with (Ilia) Topuria, Max is a likely next fight. It’s a possibility. It’s 100 percent there.”
Holloway is is coming off back-to-back wins over Arnold Allen in April 2023, then a Fight of the Night knockout of Chan Sung Jung in June.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 300.