Alessa Quizon is a Hawaiian professional surfer whose life has been shaped by the ocean, competition and a strong connection to her family. Born and raised in Hawaii, she began surfing as a child and eventually reached the highest levels of professional women’s surfing. Her career included international competitions, sponsorships and appearances connected with the surfing world, while her later marriage to UFC fighter Max Holloway brought her additional public attention. Today, her story includes professional sport, family life, Hawaii roots and work beyond competitive surfing.
Although many people now search for Alessa Quizon because of her relationship with Max Holloway, her own achievements came first. She developed as a competitive surfer from a young age, traveled internationally for contests and established herself among the world’s leading surfers. Her family played an important role in that development, particularly her father and older sister. Her journey from Makaha to international surfing provides the foundation for understanding her life today.
Alessa Quizon Early Life in Hawaii
Alessa Quizon was born on January 2, 1994, in Honolulu, Hawaii, and grew up in Makaha on the west side of Oahu. The area has a deep surfing culture, making the ocean a natural part of her childhood. She was introduced to surfing at a very young age, with her father helping her develop her skills in the water. Growing up around surfers also gave her an environment where competition and ocean sports were already familiar parts of everyday life.
Her family had a particularly strong influence on her development. Her older sister Kristen was already involved in competitive surfing, and watching her travel and participate in contests helped Alessa understand that surfing could become more than a hobby. Her father, Scott Quizon, also made significant sacrifices to help his children pursue the sport. These early family experiences eventually helped Alessa build the discipline needed for professional competition.
Growing Up in Makaha
Makaha remained important to Alessa even after her surfing career took her around the world. International travel exposed her to different cultures and surfing locations, but she continued to identify strongly with Hawaii and the community where she was raised. Her connection to the area is also meaningful because Max Holloway grew up on the west side of Oahu, giving the couple a shared connection to Hawaii.
The environment in which Alessa grew up helped shape her approach to surfing. She was surrounded by powerful waves, experienced local surfers and a culture that valued ocean knowledge. Instead of treating surfing as something she discovered later in life, she developed it naturally as part of her childhood. That foundation eventually became the starting point for an international athletic career.
How Alessa Quizon Started Surfing
Alessa began surfing when she was extremely young and started competing as a child. By around the age of 10, she was participating in contests, and her ability quickly attracted attention from sponsors. Billabong signed her as a sponsored surfer when she was around 12, giving her an early connection with the professional surfing industry. Her progress during these years showed that she had the potential to compete beyond Hawaii.
Her junior career required considerable commitment because professional development involved training, travel and regular competition. She competed in major youth events and gradually gained experience against surfers from different countries. The transition from local Hawaiian contests to international competition was an important stage in her development. By her teenage years, surfing had become a serious career path rather than simply an after-school activity.
Alessa Quizon’s Professional Surfing Career
Alessa Quizon eventually reached the World Surf League’s elite competitive level, competing against some of the strongest female surfers in the world. Her career took her to international events in places such as Australia, Brazil, Portugal, California and Hawaii. Competing at this level required consistency because every event brought different waves, conditions and opponents. Her experience across different locations helped establish her as an internationally recognized Hawaiian surfer.
Her career is particularly important when discussing Alessa Quizon because it existed independently of her later relationship with Max Holloway. She had already built a reputation through surfing before she became widely recognized through UFC coverage. Her competitive background also explains why she and Holloway share an understanding of the physical and mental demands of professional sport.
Her Championship Tour Years
Alessa competed during a period when women’s professional surfing was becoming increasingly competitive and globally visible. She faced established surfers and participated in events connected with the highest level of the sport. Her performances during the mid-2010s helped establish her as a serious professional competitor.
Different public sources give slightly different figures for her highest world ranking, so it is better to describe her career as reaching the upper levels of the Championship Tour rather than relying on one disputed ranking number. What is consistent is that she competed against elite surfers and spent significant time on the international professional circuit. That achievement is an important part of her biography.
The 2015 Competitive Period
The 2015 season was an important period in Alessa Quizon’s professional development. She competed in major events and faced some of the leading names in women’s surfing. One notable result came at the Vans US Open of Surfing, where she recorded a victory over defending event winner Tyler Wright in a second-round heat.
That type of result demonstrated that Quizon could compete successfully against highly established opponents. Her career during this period was not defined by one isolated performance but by repeated participation at the highest level. These experiences also gave her greater international exposure and helped strengthen her reputation within professional surfing.
Alessa Quizon and the 2019 Vissla Sydney Surf Pro
One of the most notable achievements of Alessa Quizon’s later competitive career came at the Vissla Sydney Surf Pro in 2019. She won the event at Manly in Australia, defeating Isabella Nichols in the final. The victory became one of the biggest competitive successes of her career and showed that she remained capable of producing major results outside the Championship Tour.
The 2019 victory is especially useful when discussing her career because it demonstrates that her professional story did not end with her earlier Championship Tour years. She continued competing selectively and achieved important results. Her approach became less about maintaining a constant competition schedule and more about choosing events that suited her career and circumstances.
Alessa Quizon and Soul Surfer
Alessa Quizon also has a connection to the entertainment industry through the 2011 movie Soul Surfer. The film tells the story of Hawaiian surfer Bethany Hamilton, and Quizon was involved with the production as a stunt surfer. Her participation reflected her real surfing ability and gave her an opportunity to contribute to a movie centered on Hawaii and professional surfing.
This connection is an interesting part of her biography because it shows that her career was not restricted to traditional competitions. Her surfing skills could also be used in film and entertainment productions. Her IMDb credits also connect her with UFC-related productions, which became more relevant after her relationship with Max Holloway.
Alessa Quizon and Max Holloway
Alessa Quizon and Max Holloway publicly confirmed their relationship in 2020. Their relationship attracted attention partly because both had established careers in professional sports and both had strong roots in Hawaii. Quizon had built her reputation through surfing, while Holloway had become one of the leading fighters in the UFC.
Their shared Hawaiian background also gives their relationship a distinctive connection. Both understood the demands of professional athletics, including training, travel and competition schedules. Their relationship eventually developed into marriage and a larger family role for Alessa.
Engagement and Marriage
Max Holloway proposed to Alessa Quizon in November 2020. The couple later married on April 16, 2022, in Hawaii at the Lanikuhonua Cultural Institute in Ko Olina. Their wedding brought together family and friends and marked the beginning of their married life.
Their marriage is now one of the most searched aspects of Alessa Quizon’s biography because of Holloway’s status as a major UFC fighter. However, her identity as a professional surfer remains an important part of the story. The two careers also give the couple a shared understanding of what it means to compete professionally and live under public attention.
Alessa Quizon and Rush Holloway
Family became another important part of Alessa Quizon’s life after her marriage to Max Holloway. Holloway has a son named Rush from his previous marriage, and Alessa became his stepmother after marrying Max. Their family relationship later developed further when Alessa legally adopted Rush in 2025.
The adoption represented a significant family milestone and reflected the relationship that had developed between Alessa and Rush over the years. It also made her role within the Holloway family more formal. Because these matters involve private family circumstances, they are best discussed respectfully and without unnecessary speculation.
Alessa Quizon Family and Hawaiian Roots
Family has remained central to Alessa Quizon’s story from childhood through adulthood. Her father supported her early surfing development, while her older sister helped show her what competitive surfing could look like. Her parents also supported the sacrifices required for international travel and competition.
Her Hawaiian roots remain equally important. Growing up in Makaha gave her access to a strong surfing community and helped establish the relationship with the ocean that became central to her career. Even after gaining international recognition, she continued to maintain a strong connection to Hawaii and its sporting culture.
Alessa Quizon Lifestyle and Fitness
Professional surfing requires much more than time in the water. Surfers need strength, balance, endurance, flexibility and the ability to react quickly to changing conditions. Alessa has previously shared fitness routines that included exercises such as squats, lunges, planks, mountain climbers and core training.
Her fitness approach reflects the physical requirements of surfing. Strong legs help with balance and board control, while core strength is important for paddling and maintaining stability. Even outside full-time competition, an active lifestyle remains closely connected to the identity she developed as a professional athlete.
Alessa Quizon Net Worth and Career Income
There is no publicly verified figure that establishes Alessa Quizon’s exact net worth. Online estimates vary, and many celebrity websites provide numbers without showing reliable financial documentation. For that reason, a precise net worth figure should not be treated as confirmed.
Her professional income has potentially come from several areas over the course of her career. These include competitive surfing, sponsorship agreements, brand partnerships, media appearances and surfing-related projects. Her long-term association with major surfing brands also reflects the commercial opportunities available to successful professional surfers.
What Is Alessa Quizon Known For?
Alessa Quizon is known for more than one part of her life. Her major public associations include:
- Professional surfing and international competition
- Growing up in Makaha, Hawaii
- Competing on the World Surf League circuit
- Winning the 2019 Vissla Sydney Surf Pro
- Her involvement with Soul Surfer
- Marriage to UFC fighter Max Holloway
- Her role in Max Holloway’s family
- Her connection to Hawaiian surfing culture
These different experiences make her biography broader than a typical celebrity relationship story. Her professional achievements provide the foundation, while her family and public life explain why her name continues to attract interest.
Frequently Asked Questions About Alessa Quizon
How old is Alessa Quizon?
Alessa Quizon was born on January 2, 1994, in Honolulu, Hawaii. She grew up in Makaha on the west side of Oahu and developed an interest in surfing from an extremely young age.
Who is Alessa Quizon’s husband?
Alessa Quizon’s husband is UFC fighter Max Holloway. The couple began their relationship publicly in 2020 and married in Hawaii on April 16, 2022.
Is Alessa Quizon still a professional surfer?
Alessa Quizon built a successful professional surfing career and competed at elite international levels. While she is no longer known primarily for competing full-time on the Championship Tour, surfing remains an important part of her life and identity.
Where is Alessa Quizon from?
Alessa Quizon was born in Honolulu and grew up in Makaha, Hawaii. Her upbringing in the west side of Oahu played a major role in her development as a surfer.
What is Alessa Quizon known for?
Alessa Quizon is best known for her professional surfing career, her connection to Hawaii’s surfing community, her involvement with Soul Surfer and her marriage to UFC fighter Max Holloway. She is also part of the Holloway family and became the legal mother of Max’s son Rush.
Conclusion
Alessa Quizon’s story begins in the waters of Hawaii, long before she became known as Max Holloway’s wife. Her childhood in Makaha, the support of her family and her early success in competitive surfing created the foundation for an international athletic career. She competed at the highest levels of professional surfing, traveled around the world and achieved notable results, including her 2019 Vissla Sydney Surf Pro victory.
Her life later expanded into family and entertainment, with her marriage to Max Holloway and her role in raising Rush becoming important parts of her public story. Yet her own surfing career remains essential to understanding who she is. From a young surfer in Makaha to an internationally recognized athlete and member of the Holloway family, Alessa Quizon has built a life closely connected to Hawaii, sport and family.