Max Holloway Names the ‘Real BMF’ He Wants to Crown Him at UFC 326

Max Holloway and Alessa Quizon
Max Holloway and Alessa Quizon (Image: Instagram/@blessedmma)

UFC 326 is shaping up to deliver fireworks as the promotion’s next numbered card lands in Las Vegas, headlined by a clash built on history and legacy. In a rematch more than a decade in the making, Max Holloway will defend his BMF title against former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira in what promises to be a high-octane showdown at 155 pounds.

The symbolic BMF belt has been contested four times inside the Octagon, and each occasion has featured a notable personality stepping in to wrap the strap around the winner’s waist, adding an extra layer of spectacle to the celebration. Looking to continue that tradition, Holloway already has a deeply personal figure in mind. If he successfully retains his BMF crown on March 7, the Hawaiian star hopes his wife will step into the Octagon and fasten the title around his waist.

Max Holloway Wants His Wife to Wrap the BMF Belt Around Him at UFC 326

The inaugural BMF title fight took place in November 2019 at UFC 244, where Jorge Masvidal stopped Nate Diaz to claim the belt. Hollywood superstar Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson stepped into the Octagon to wrap the strap around Masvidal’s waist, adding star power to the moment.

The 10-time WWE champion was heavily involved throughout fight week, taking part in the pre-fight buildup and even appearing at the weigh-ins. Nearly four years later, the belt changed hands again in emphatic fashion at UFC 291. Justin Gaethje knocked out Dustin Poirier with a brutal head kick to capture the title, with inaugural winner Masvidal returning to crown the Arizona native.

 

The third BMF showdown may forever be remembered for producing one of the most iconic knockouts in UFC history. At UFC 300, reigning champion Max Holloway delivered a jaw-dropping finish, stopping Gaethje at 4:59 of the fifth round in a moment that instantly became legendary. The honor of wrapping the belt that night went to inaugural UFC heavyweight champion Mark Coleman.

Most recently, the BMF strap was once again on the line during Poirier’s final bout at UFC 318, where he dropped a decision to Holloway. Famed musician Lil Wayne stepped into the Octagon to place the title around Holloway’s waist after the victory, one that ultimately sent Poirier into retirement in his home state of Louisiana.

Now, with UFC 326 approaching, the BMF tradition could once again gain a deeply personal chapter, as Holloway hopes to have the belt fastened by someone he considers the “real” BMF in his life.

During the UFC 326 media day, Holloway said, “The true BMF. If you look at my shirt, the real BMF is my wife. I would love her to wrap the belt around me. So if everything goes great there, you best believe I’m going to be asking Dana White.”

The former featherweight kingpin added, “I’m going to be like, ‘Hey Dana, let my wife do this. She’s the real BMF.’ Everybody thinks I’m the BMF because of the title. You don’t want no smoke with her, I promise.”

 

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Holloway draws profound motivation from his wife, Alessa Quizon, a professional surfer from Hawaii. Married in 2022, the couple shares a strong bond built on their mutual understanding of the pressures that come with competing at the highest level of the sport.

Outside the Octagon, she has also played a transformative role in his personal life, legally adopting his son, Rush, in 2025 following a lengthy custody battle. For the unversed, Holloway’s opponent at UFC 326, Charles Oliveira, has also revealed his own choice for the post-fight moment. 

The former lightweight champion shared that if he manages to dethrone Holloway and claim the BMF title, he would like his father to step into the Octagon and wrap the belt around his waist.