Salahdine Parnasse made his UFC debut in emphatic fashion this past Saturday, and he’s wasting little time calling out a future Hall of Famer in Max Holloway.
Parnasse was at the center of attention in the UFC Paris main event. He was matched up against seasoned veteran Dan Hooker, who held the No. 12 spot on the Meta UFC rankings. Parnasse made short work of “The Hangman,” scoring a first-round TKO finish with a body kick and then some follow-up strikes to seal the deal.
Parnasse’s efforts earned him a “Performance of the Night” bonus, and during his post-fight interview with Michael Bisping, the fresh lightweight contender said he has his sights set on Max Holloway.
“I’m ready for the next fight, top 5,” Parnasse said. “My dream fight is Max Holloway.”
When asked why he views Holloway as a dream fight, Parnasse said he wants to test his own conditioning against “Blessed,” who is known for his volume in deep waters.
“He’s a very well conditioned guy,” Parnasse said. “He was the BMF champion. It’s always been a dream just to see who’s better conditioned, me or him.”
Holloway recently had a disappointing outing with Conor McGregor, but the circumstances were out of his control. McGregor suffered ACL and meniscus injuries early on in the UFC 329 main event, and the fight was stopped just over one minute in. Holloway picked up the TKO win, but he’s left without an opponent with the “Notorious” one on the shelf until at least summer 2027.
Parnasse would be getting a big step up in competition right away, but he feels ready to prove he’s a new threat in UFC’s 155-pound division. He’s currently on a knockout streak, having finished his last six opponents via knockout or TKO. None of those bouts have made it past the second round.
Is it already time to give Salahdine Parnasse a top five opponent, such as Max Holloway, or does he need at least one more win before getting such competition? Join in on the conversation in the comments below.
This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM
