Holloway On Makhachev's Two-Belt Display At UFC 330

Max Holloway questioned Islam Makhachev's decision to parade around with two championship belts after UFC 330, despite the welterweight champion no longer holding a lightweight title.

Makhachev retained his 170-pound strap by defeating Ian Machado Garry in Philadelphia last weekend, then carried both his current welterweight belt and his former lightweight championship during the Octagon celebration. The lightweight title was vacated when Makhachev moved up in weight earlier this year, MMA Mania reports.

Holloway Questions The Two-Belt Display

The former featherweight champion addressed the scene on his Kick channel. "Why the f*ck do you have two belts?" Holloway said, per MMA Mania. "For aura? I mean, it is what it is. Like, you are, but you're not. That was temporary but now you're just defending one belt, bro."

Makhachev is not alone in the practice. Ilia Topuria, who knocked out Holloway at UFC 308 in late 2024, posed with two belts after stopping Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 in June 2025 despite having vacated his featherweight title to chase lightweight gold.

Makhachev's manager has maintained that his fighter remains a champion at lightweight despite the technical vacancy. UFC 330 marked Makhachev's first defense of the welterweight championship he captured earlier this year.

Reported via:

• MMA Mania — Max Holloway not a fan of Islam’s two-belt flex at UFC 330 (but everyone is doing it)