Dana White: Max Holloway Doing Well Following Health Scare

Dana White has provided a positive Max Holloway health update.

Holloway was scheduled to defend his UFC featherweight title against Brian Ortega. The bout would’ve served as UFC 226’s co-main event. Plans went awry when “Blessed” was forced to pull out.

During open workouts, scrums, and interviews as part of fight week, many sensed that something was wrong with Holloway. He looked lethargic during his workout session, misunderstood questions from the media, and appeared drained during his FOX Sports 1 interview. Michael Bisping, who was at the FS1 desk, mentioned that Holloway seemed off and asked if he was okay.

It turns out he wasn’t as Holloway was removed from the card due to concussion-like symptoms. UFC president Dana White later revealed that he heard water poisoning was the culprit. It’s the third straight title fight Holloway has had to withdraw from.

Speaking to the media, White provided some good news regarding a Max Holloway health update (via MMAJunkie.com):

“He’s good. He’s doing well. They gave him a time frame. I’d actually like to wait a little longer on his time frame and make sure that he’s 100 percent. I don’t know yet (what the time frame is). There was no stroke. It either had to do with concussion – either a concussion, or they believe it happened to him because he was cutting weight at that time. We still don’t know for sure. But we know he’s doing OK, he’s healthy, and he’s doing a lot better.”

White went on to say that he doesn’t plan to strip Holloway of his featherweight title or create an interim title. He said the promotion will wait for “Blessed” to fully recover, which likely means moving forward with the Brian Ortega bout. Ortega was initially offered a bout against Jeremy Stephens once Holloway pulled out, but he turned it down.