Alessa Quizon is a professional Hawaiian surfer and the wife of UFC star Max Holloway. Both raised on the west side of Oahu, the two share deep roots in Hawaiian surf and fight culture, a connection Holloway has called a match made in heaven.
Beyond her own surfing career, Alessa’s most defining chapter came in August 2025, when she legally adopted Max’s son, Rush, following a five-year custody battle, a milestone both she and Max have described in deeply personal terms.
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Alessa Quizon Biography
She was born on January 2, 1994, in Honolulu, Hawaii. Alessa Quizon grew up in Makaha, a west Oahu surf town known for its powerful waves, in a family with generations of surfing in its history.
Her father, Scott Quizon, worked full time as a truck driver, waking at 5 a.m. and finishing his shifts at 4 p.m., yet still made time every afternoon to drive his children to the beach to practice surfing, a sacrifice Alessa has said she didn’t fully appreciate until she was older.
Alessa has an older sister, Kristen, who is 10 years her senior and competed in surfing at a high level, serving as Alessa’s earliest inspiration to pursue the sport professionally.
Alessa attended Waianae High School but ultimately earned her GED rather than a traditional diploma so she could focus fully on competitive surfing.
She has spoken candidly about growing up in Waianae, an area with a tough reputation, recalling witnessing violence in high school, including being caught in a riot and being maced by police while trying to stay out of it.
Max Holloway’s Wife
Alessa Quizon and Max Holloway both grew up in Waianae on the west side of Oahu. However, their relationship didn’t begin until February 2020, when they confirmed they were dating on Instagram.
Max has spoken about how meaningful their shared hometown roots were to him, telling Sportsmanor in 2022 that it felt like a match made in heaven: two professional athletes from the same town who both succeeded in their respective sports. The relationship moved quickly.
On November 17, 2020, just nine months after they began dating, Max proposed to Alessa during a beachside outing, sharing the news on Instagram with the caption, “She said yes.” Alessa responded publicly, saying she felt truly blessed.
Max and Alessa married on April 16, 2022, at the Lanikuhonua Cultural Institute in Ko Olina, Hawaii, in a beachside ceremony attended by both of their families, including Max’s son, Rush.
Max later shared footage from the ceremony showing him becoming emotional as Alessa walked down the aisle, writing on Instagram that he was getting to spend the rest of his life with his soulmate.
Adoption of Rush Holloway
Max Holloway has a son, Rush, from his first marriage to Kaimana Pa’aluhi, from whom he separated in 2014 and divorced in 2017.
Rush lived primarily with Max following the separation, and Alessa became his stepmother when she married Max in 2022, at which point Rush was around 10 years old.
In August 2025, following what Max described as a five-year custody battle with Rush’s biological mother, Alessa legally adopted Rush, becoming his legal parent.
Alessa marked the occasion with an emotional Instagram post directed at Rush, writing that he never deserved to be neglected or left to pick up broken pieces on his own, and that he never deserved anything less than genuine love.
She also promised to always be there for him. Max shared his own reflection on the milestone, calling it a major victory for the Holloway family and emphasizing that, more importantly, Rush had finally gotten to choose and keep the mother he deserved.
Max has not publicly detailed the specifics of the custody dispute with Rush’s biological mother.
The couple currently split their time between Hawaii, where their extended family remains, and California, where Alessa has pursued sponsorship and media opportunities related to her surfing career.
Alessa remains a constant, visible presence supporting Max at his fights, often sitting ringside alongside Rush, while Max has likewise joined Alessa at her surf sessions over the years.
The couple’s close relationship has also been highlighted publicly. Max told UFC.com that the ESPN+ series UFC Journey opened his featured episode by focusing on his family, Rush and Alessa, reflecting how central they have become to his life both personally and professionally.
Career
Alessa Quizon began surfing at age two and started formal lessons under her father’s guidance at age four.
By age seven, she was surfing regularly at Makaha, and at age 10, she entered her first competition, the Rell Sunn Memorial.
She went on to build a successful professional surfing career, competing on the World Surf League Championship Tour.
Before her surfing career fully took off, 17-year-old Alessa was part of the stunt surfing team for the 2011 biographical film Soul Surfer, based on the life of Hawaiian surfer Bethany Hamilton.
She continues to surf recreationally today, balancing her athletic background with family life alongside Max and Rush.
