Max Holloway won UFC 212 main event against Jose Aldo last weekend, becoming the undisputed UFC Featherweight champion in the process.

The American defeated the Brazilian in his home country on Saturday via TKO (punches) with 4:13 gone in the third round of the fight, earning his first Fight of the Night bonus award as well and becoming the new top target in the featherweight division.

However, Holloway wanted to make sure he paid his respect towards Aldo, saying how his hard work inside and outside the octagon has helped build up the featherweight division to the heights which it is at right now, and how he is one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time.

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The 25-year-old did this in the form of an Instagram post, showing the two fighters confronting each other after the bout had finished.

Holloway said: "Losing is part of this fight game. Saturday night takes nothing away from his legacy. This is a guy who would show up to his gym sometimes without eating in the last day because he was so damn poor. This is a guy who built the 45 division and became king. This is a guy who found motivation to keep earning what he already had.

"He defended his throne. For a decade. For honor. For his team. For his countrymen. This is a guy who didn't start at pole position in this world and look at what he achieved. Brazil needs to celebrate that man. Acai with powered milk and cashews for everyone. 

"He's a GOAT, and his story will always be an inspiration to me and people of Hawaii. Obrigado, Ze @josealdojunioroficial Obrigado."

It was always going to be a difficult task for Aldo to retain his title in this fight, as he had only fought once since his famous fight with Conor McGregor which ended after just 13 seconds, while Holloway was on a ten-fight win streak, which has since extended to 11.

The words which Holloway used to describe Aldo just shows how much of an admirable character he is himself, and Aldo can rest assure the Featherweight division will be in good hands if he is unable to regain the UFC Featherweight Championship at a later date.

Whether it be Conor McGregor or Frankie Edgar, UFC fans eagerly await Holloway's first opponent as UFC Featherweight champion, as from the looks of things, he is going to represent the division well.