In an intense exchange of words between two prominent fighters in the UFC, Max Holloway has questioned Ilia Topuria's "BMF" mindset after the latter made certain demands for a potential bout. Holloway, known for his fearless fighting style, believes that Topuria's conditions contradict the true spirit of being the "baddest motherf*****" in the sport.

During an appearance on The MMA Hour, Topuria stated that he would only be interested in facing Holloway if the "BMF" title was on the line. In response, Holloway criticized Topuria's stance, suggesting that making such demands does not align with the mentality of a true "BMF" fighter.

"A 'BMF' fights whatever, fights whoever, whenever, any weight, any time, and that's not a tone of a 'BMF,'" Holloway told Jim Rome. "A 'BMF' wouldn't say, 'I'm not going to fight this guy unless...' That's kind of un-'BMF.' Doesn't sound 'BMF' the way he's trying to demand it and saying, 'I'm not going to fight.'"

While Holloway remains committed to taking on any opponent the UFC puts in front of him, he admitted that squaring off against Topuria is still at the top of his wish-list. Holloway had previously expressed his ambition to reclaim the featherweight title, which he held through three successful defenses from 2017 to 2019.

Adding further motivation to his desired rematch with Topuria is the fact that Topuria dethroned Alex Volkanovski to become the featherweight champion, potentially making Holloway's path back to the belt easier after three previous losses to Volkanovski.

Holloway emphasized his admiration for Topuria's knockout victory over Volkanovski but couldn't resist pointing out their contrasting experiences against the former champion.

"He beat a guy I couldn't figure out," Holloway said. "He fought the guy once, I fought the guy three times, and I saw him say that slick stuff took him nine minutes for what took me 90 minutes and I couldn't do it. Something crazy like that."

However, Holloway made it clear that he is open to other potential matchups as well. He mentioned the possibility of facing Conor McGregor or Michael Chandler, depending on the outcome of their upcoming bout at UFC 303. Additionally, Holloway expressed interest in pursuing a lightweight title shot against Islam Makhachev, who is set to defend his belt against Dustin Poirier at UFC 301 in June.

With an array of options available, Holloway remains focused on his ultimate goal of reclaiming the featherweight title, but he trusts the UFC in guiding his path forward.

"There's options. Especially in this sport, it's always great to have options," Holloway said. "Like I've been saying, that [145] title's what I want. I want it back. But whatever way the UFC wants to push me, they're going to push me. I'm waiting. I'm all ears."

Update: In response to Holloway's comments, Topuria revealed that Brian Ortega may be the front-runner for the next title shot, potentially leaving Holloway without the desired opportunity to face Topuria at this time.