Max Holloway is one of the most loved fighters in the UFC. The Former Featherweight Champion has always been a fan favorite, not only for his fighting skills but also for his personality. However, most of his fans were unaware that Max was not his first name. Furthermore, Kamaru Usman was caught off guard by this information during the Ultimate 30 all-time-roster reveal on UFC Fight Pass.
While nominating Holloway for the Ultimate 30 all-time roster, Jon Anik said, “Congratulations to Jerome Max Holloway for making the all-time UFC roster“. However, the former UFC welterweight champion was shocked by this huge revelation. “Wait, that’s his name? His name is Jerome. Oh, I did not know that,” said a surprised Kamaru Usman.
Kamaru finding out Max’s first name is Jerome 😂 pic.twitter.com/qqd5P489ov
— Jason Williams (@jasoneg33) November 13, 2023
Furthermore, when Joanna Jedrzejczyk asked, “Is it French?” about the name Jerome, it sent Daniel Cormier and Kamaru Usman into a laughter frenzy. Adding to the fun, Anik gave a quick shoutout to Joanna by saying that Max’s first name is not Polish. However, DC finally concluded that Jerome is not a French name. “Jerome is a hood name,” said Daniel Cormier.
It was amazing to see both DC and Kamaru Usman having fits of laughter due to the surprising first name of Max Holloway.
Max Holloway explains the origin of his first name
During an interview before his match against Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 245, Holloway explained the origins of his name, Jerome. When the reporter asked him if there was anyone who could call him Jerome, Max told him the story about his first name.
“My name was supposed to be Jerome but my grandpa heard my mom named me Jerome and my grandpa told them, ‘I’m gonna disown this kid as a grandchild if you name him my name,” said Holloway. According to ‘Blessed’, his grandpa was named Jerome, and he hated that name. Furthermore, he did not want his grandson to have a name that he hated.
Due to this incident, the UFC featherweight was named after his father’s best friend, Max. This is the reason that Max Holloway has two first names. Furthermore, the 31-year-old said that he was okay with being called Jerome by the fans and the media. Some of his close friends still call him Jerome instead of Max.
However, the UFC fans were not aware of the other first names of Holloway, just like Kamaru Usman and Daniel Cormier. Max Holloway is coming off a strong KO victory over ‘The Korean Zombie’ earlier in 2023. He will be looking to get back into the title fight in 2024.