Ground game
29 DThin offensive ground game. Wins come standing; once taken down this fighter is hunting a stand-up, not a sweep chain.
- 0.23 takedowns / 15 at 53% accuracy
- 0.28 submission attempts / 15 · 2 career sub wins
Lightweight
“Blessed”
28-9
SLpM
6.91
SApM
4.18
Str Acc
50%
Str Def
50%
TD Avg
0.23
TD Acc
53%
TD Def
67%
Sub Avg
0.28
Power striker — suspect hips against the shot, porous pocket
Fight IQ
Thin sample — 2 loaded UFC rows, 37 career fights for Max Holloway. Reaction and agility are wider intervals.
IQ
Ground
Defense
Counter
Reaction
proxy
Agility
proxy
TD react
Chin
Durability
Standard UFC durability. Can be hurt, usually recovers if the shot is not clean.
Ground game
Thin offensive ground game. Wins come standing; once taken down this fighter is hunting a stand-up, not a sweep chain.
Counter punching
This is a first-strike, pressure profile more than a counter. Wins come from owning the center, not waiting.
Timing & reaction
Late on the read. High absorb or a leaking TD defense suggests the first move often belongs to the opponent.
Max Holloway “Blessed” is a 34-year-old Orthodox lightweight out of USA, camped at Gracie Technics. The tape read: power striker — suspect hips against the shot, porous pocket. Career mark 28-9-0 — 17 by KO/TKO, 2 by submission, 9 by decision. Fight IQ grades C+ (64).
What works. Durability is the standout at 79 (B+). Standard UFC durability. Can be hurt, usually recovers if the shot is not clean. Ground game D on 0.23 TD/15 and 0.28 sub attempts. Striking defense C at 50% / 4.18 SApM. Counter punching D; punching agility C (output × accuracy × age curve). Takedown reaction D on 67% TD defense. These are tape proxies — not lab reaction times — built from FightMetric rates, finish shares, and 2 loaded UFC rows.
Where it breaks. Ground game is the soft spot (29, D). Thin offensive ground game. Wins come standing; once taken down this fighter is hunting a stand-up, not a sweep chain. Opponents who force wrestling and keep the fight on the fence have historically been the ones who make this résumé leak. Losses lean decision more often than a highlight — the issue is usually control of minutes, not a glass jaw.
Recent tape (2 bouts): L Oliveira (Decision - Unanimous R5) · W Rodriguez (Decision - Unanimous R5). Form index negative over the last 2. 1 of those wins reached the championship minutes — cardio and late IQ are real.
Thin offensive ground game. Wins come standing; once taken down this fighter is hunting a stand-up, not a sweep chain.
Defensive liability. Opponents land at a clip that turns every exchange into a finish window.
This is a first-strike, pressure profile more than a counter. Wins come from owning the center, not waiting.
Late on the read. High absorb or a leaking TD defense suggests the first move often belongs to the opponent.
Heavy or economical. Combinations are chosen, not sprayed — opponents can time the entries.
A takedown magnet. Low TD defense plus submission losses — this is the hole a grappler builds a camp around.
Standard UFC durability. Can be hurt, usually recovers if the shot is not clean.
| Date | Opponent | Res | Method | Rnd | Sig |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 8, 2026 | Charles Oliveira | L | Decision - Unanimous | 5 5:00 | 26/45 |
| Nov 13, 2021 | Yair Rodriguez | W | Decision - Unanimous | 5 5:00 | 230/404 |