what flag is max holloway holding
Max Holloway is holding the Hawaiian state flag.
Quick Scoop: What flag is Max Holloway holding?
Max Holloway is an American fighter from Waiʻanae, Hawaiʻi, and during his UFC walkouts he is famously seen carrying the flag of his home state rather than the U.S. national flag. This often confuses viewers because the Hawaiian flag has the Union Jack in the corner and horizontal stripes, so it looks different from the more familiar stars and stripes of the United States flag.
Why the Hawaiian flag?
- Holloway carries the Hawaiian state flag to represent his Hawaiian roots and community pride.
- He is of Samoan and Hawaiian lineage and has repeatedly emphasized how important his ancestry and island identity are to him.
- The flag choice has become part of his personal brand and walkout image, especially in big events like UFC 300 and beyond.
The backstory with UFC and sponsors
- When UFC’s Reebok-era outfitting rules came in, fighters were generally allowed to walk out only with recognized national flags.
- Because Hawaiʻi is a U.S. state and not a separate country, Holloway initially ran into pushback about bringing the Hawaiian state flag to the cage.
- He has explained that Reebok tried to stop him from using it, but he escalated the issue and UFC president Dana White ultimately approved his walkouts with the Hawaiian flag.
In interviews, Holloway described having to get special permission so he could continue walking out with the Hawaiian flag despite uniform restrictions at the time.
Why fans keep asking “what flag is that?”
- The question “what flag is Max Holloway holding” keeps popping up around big fights because newer viewers often mistake the Hawaiian flag for another country’s flag.
- The design features:
- The Union Jack in the canton (top-left), reflecting historic ties to the United Kingdom.
- Eight horizontal stripes (white, red, and blue) symbolizing the main Hawaiian Islands.
- During recent and upcoming high-profile bouts (like his BMF title defense at UFC 326), broadcast shots of his walkout and victory moments again show him draped in the Hawaiian flag, which renews online forum and social media discussion about it.
Mini FAQ
- Is Max Holloway representing a different country?
- No. He is an American fighter, but he chooses to carry the Hawaiian state flag to specifically honor Hawaiʻi rather than the U.S. flag in general.
- Has he always done this?
- For years, Holloway has been consistently associated with the Hawaiian flag in his walkouts and post-fight celebrations, to the point that it is now a signature part of his image.
- Is there any special meaning beyond pride?
- After events affecting Hawaiʻi, like the Maui wildfires, him carrying the Hawaiian flag has also been seen as a visible show of solidarity and support for his home state.
TL;DR: Max Holloway is holding the Hawaiian state flag , which he proudly carries to represent his Hawaiian roots, even having needed special approval in the past to keep using it in UFC walkouts.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.