Max Holloway Upset at Top MMA Insider for Instigating Jorge Masvidal BMF Call-Out

BMF champion Max Holloway calls out Ariel Helwani for misquoting him during an interview with Jorge Masvidal.

Max Holloway Upset at Top MMA Insider for Instigating Jorge Masvidal BMF Call-Out

Max Holloway calls out Ariel Helwani for stirring unnecessary beef between him and Jorge Masvidal (via MMA Fighting, DAZN)

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Ariel Helwani is one of the most polarizing reporters in MMA and has been part of the UFC landscape since the 2000s. His career has included covering major fights and fighters, but his presence has also caused controversy. He has previously been banned from UFC events due to his reporting style. Recently, BMF champion Max Holloway called out Helwani for allegedly stirring up beef with Jorge Masvidal.

Holloway won the BMF championship with a highlight-reel knockout over Justin Gaethje at UFC 300. He later successfully defended the title against Dustin Poirier at UFC 318, cementing his status as the belt’s reigning champion. Holloway is now set to take on Charles Oliveira at UFC 326 in what will be his second official title defense. His impressive run with the BMF belt continues to draw attention in the MMA world.

Masvidal was the inaugural BMF champion after winning the belt with a victory over Nate Diaz in 2019. In a recent episode of The Ariel Helwani Show, Masvidal was asked if he took offense to Holloway stating the title had found new relevance during his reign. Masvidal said he did, to some extent. That exchange led the BMF champion to call out Helwani for stirring unnecessary beef between him and Masvidal.

I meant people was saying it was a ‘laughing stock’ and one of them people was you @arielhelwani Stop trying to start s**t your 43 years old dude.

Max Holloway via X

Helwani has long maintained a polarizing presence within the UFC landscape and has frequently been accused of creating rifts between fighters. He was notably banned from reporting at UFC events after breaking news of Brock Lesnar’s return and the Conor McGregor vs Nate Diaz rematch before the promotion announced them. Since then, Helwani has not conducted interviews on behalf of the UFC.

Masvidal has consistently spoken highly of Holloway throughout Hawaiian native’s career. He has repeatedly highlighted Holloway’s skill set and accomplishments across multiple weight classes. Last year, ‘Gamebred’ proposed a matchup against Holloway that would have seen the inaugural BMF champion face the latest titleholder as part of a return to competition. However, the bout never materialized.

As the situation settles, Max Holloway remains focused on preparing for his second BMF title defense later this year. His attention is firmly on maintaining momentum and continuing his run as champion. Meanwhile, Jorge Masvidal has stayed out of MMA competition since 2023. With both fighters on different paths, the brief exchange remains limited to media discussion rather than in-cage action.

Justin Gaethje weighs in on what went wrong against Max Holloway

Justin Gaethje recently reflected on his loss to Max Holloway at UFC 300, which ended in a last-second knockout. The bout was contested for the BMF title and headlined one of the most significant cards in UFC history. Gaethje entered the fight as the reigning BMF champion and was widely expected to engage in a high-paced striking battle. The outcome instead marked one of the most dramatic finishes in UFC history.

Justin Gaethje and Max Holloway after their UFC 300 war
Justin Gaethje and Max Holloway after their UFC 300 war (via X)

While discussing the fight recently with ESPN MMA, Gaethje acknowledged that his mindset going into the contest played a major role in the result. He noted that approaching the matchup as an entertaining exchange rather than a high-risk championship fight left him exposed. The ‘Highlight’ has since emphasized the importance of recognizing danger in elite-level bouts.

The biggest mistake for me was looking at it as a fun fight and not understanding or recognizing the danger that I was in. I didn’t get to go to my primal competitive nature. That was a scary night. I remember his face. I’ve never seen an opponent’s face. I had the wrong mindset going into that fight, and that’s why I want to fight him again.

Justin Gaethje via ESPN MMA

The knockout has also been described by Max Holloway as a bittersweet moment in his career. While he celebrated the victory inside the Octagon, seeing Justin Gaethje unconscious on the canvas had a lasting impact on him. Holloway later acknowledged the emotional weight of the moment despite the magnitude of the win. The finish remains one of the most memorable yet sobering moments of UFC 300.

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