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Max Holloway isn’t going to get caught up in things he can’t control.

The 24-year-old Hawaiian may be a player in the hectic featherweight title picture that has been twisting and tumbling for the past year, but “Blessed” hasn’t allowed himself to get caught up in the drama of the situation. Holloway knows he’s established himself among the elite of the 145-pound weight class, and he’d rather keep things moving than wait to see how things play out.

Whether it is Conor McGregor’s current rift with the UFC or Frankie Edgar and Jose Aldo fighting for the interim title, none of it matters to Holloway.

“There are so many things going on with the division and I just don’t care,” Holloway told FloCombat. “I have my own journey to think about. Nowadays people get caught up in other people’s business and that’s not what I’m about. Conor is doing his thing. Frankie and Jose are doing theirs and I have to do mine. All I can do is keep winning fights.”

And when it comes to getting his hand raised inside the cage, Holloway is running the hottest in the featherweight division. He's currently riding an eight-fight winning streak that has carried him from prospect status to a certified contender.

While most fighters in his position look for the quickest route to a title opportunity, Holloway is more than willing to travel a more rigorous path. In doing so, Holloway believes it will not only make him the best fighter he can be, but also produce financial rewards.

“I may have to fight the entire division before I get my title shot and I’m totally cool with that,” Holloway said. “I want to prove I’m the best in the world and I’ll do the work to accomplish that. I want to be up there with the pound-for-pound greats. I want to be a legend in this sport and you can only do that by fighting. Everyone wants the gold title but I’m looking to keep getting bigger paydays.”   

With all the divisional drama pushed aside, the Waianae, Hawaii, native is focused on the next challenge against Ricardo Lamas at UFC 199 on June 7 in Las Vegas. The matchup between the two perennial contenders was announced on Wednesday's edition of "UFC Tonight" on FOX Sports 1. “The Bully” is a former title challenger who has faced some of the best the division has to offer. Holloway sees Lamas as a dangerous test, but one that will allow him to get one step closer to the top.

“Lamas is a dangerous fighter who has skills in every aspect. He started out as a wrestler but he’s added some striking and has a sneaky submission game. He’s fought some of the best in the division and this will be a great test for me. I’m going to keep proving my worth to the UFC and turning all the non-believers into believers. That’s what I do.”

Outside of his personal ambitions, Holloway is at the forefront of bringing the UFC to his backyard. The featherweight contender has been pushing hard for the past two years for the biggest promotion in MMA to finally bring an event to Hawaii. Holloway and the passionate Hawaiian fanbase have been hounding the UFC relentlessly, and he’s not going to stop until it happens.

“We are building a lot of momentum,” Holloway said. “The fans have done an amazing job and they just need to keep telling Dana White they want to see the UFC in Hawaii. The ball is rolling and I’m going to keep annoying the sh** out of Dana until it happens. I know we can have a great event in Hawaii and I’m going to keep pushing until it is a done deal.”