UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski is baffled by Max Holloway not pushing for a trilogy bout against him.

Since losing to Volkanovski (23-1 MMA, 10-0 UFC) for a second consecutive time in July 2020, Holloway has battered Calvin Kattar and Yair Rodriguez in record-shattering performances, solidifying his No. 1 contender spot.

But after beating Rodriguez this past Saturday at UFC Fight Night 197, Holloway (23-6 MMA, 19-6 UFC) didn’t campaign for a trilogy bout with the champion. He mentioned Volkanovski as an option but also expressed interest in rematches with Conor McGregor and UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira, which has left Volkanovski rather confused.

“Max? We know what’s next,” Volkanovski said on his YouTube channel. “Leading into this fight, the winner was going to get the title shot, whether it was Max or Yair. UFC said that to us. We were waiting on it. I’m sure the UFC said it to Max. So green light from the UFC on the trilogy, green light from me, but the only one that’s talking about other options is Max Holloway.”

To Volkanovski, there’s a specific reason why Holloway wasn’t lobbying to fight him. With both of their names in the current conversations of greatest featherweight of all time, Volkanovski thinks Holloway would be out of the running if he loses to him a third time.

“So this might rattle a few feathers, but I’m gonna leave you with this: Am I saying he’s scared? Maybe,” Volkanovski said. “But I want you to hear me out. For Max, this is a big deal. You fight me again and lose and go 0-3 against me in the featherweight division, in your prime, you talk about legacy, your name isn’t in the GOAT conversation anymore.

“It’s in GOAT conversations now, even though he’s 0-2 against me. People are still throwing his name in the GOAT conversation. If he loses again, we know no more. Your legacy in the featherweight division, tarnished. Let’s be real, 0-3 in your prime. That doesn’t look good. Maybe that’s what it is. Maybe he wants bigger options, money fights because he could still have his legacy talks, get some money fights. But if he loses, that tarnishes that legacy.”