UFC 300, after all that it brought us, is gradually drawing to a close. In what has been a night for the history books, we have seen some of the most amazing performances. However, Max Holloway vs. Justin Gaethje may just have taken the cake.
For those unaware, ‘Blessed’ took on Justin Gaethje for the BMF title at UFC 300. What was arguably seen as ‘The People’s Main Event’ had a lot riding on it for both fighters. For Max Holloway, it was the chance to get his hands on another title, whilst the fight also presented the opportunity to be next in line to fight against Islam Makhachev as the #1 contender.
The BMF Title is on the line RIGHT NOW 👊 #UFC300 pic.twitter.com/ShQHdKle89
— UFC (@ufc) April 14, 2024
Despite recent successes at featherweight, there was no clear path to the title for Holloway, seeing that Alexander Volkanovski and Ilia Topuria are yet to settle their differences. As such, it put Max in a weird limbo where he, despite beating top contenders couldn’t yet challenge for the title. However, all that may just have changed with what he has done at UFC 300.
Max Holloway knocks out Justin Gaethje at UFC 300
Coming into this one, it was clear that both fighters would be leaving it all inside the Octagon. Naturally, Max Holloway was viewed as an underdog for the fight, seeing that he was making the move up from 145 lbs. With that said, the Hawaiian had much more time to fully transition to lightweight this time around.
As for the fight itself, Holloway looked the better fighter from the get-go. Outboxing his opponent, Holloway closed out the first round with a spinning kick that nearly sent Justin Gaethje out of the Octagon. In the back and forth that ensued, both fighters got their licks in with Max somehow seeming just a tad sharper. However, at the same time, Gaethje was able to knock down Holloway for the first time in his career.
As the rounds racked up, Holloway kept building on his bright start, leading on both total and significant strikes. Noticeably, the damage on Gaethje’s nose proved to be a cause for trouble, regardless, being the warrior he is, the fighter carried on. In the closing moments of the fight, both Max and Justin threw caution to the wind and threw down, with Holloway delivering a thunderous right overhand to sleep his opponent at the buzzer.
Max Holloway shocked Ilia Topuria and other fighters in attendance
Arguably the biggest moment of the night so far, the buzzer-beating finish riled up the crowd and the commentary desk like no other fight. Quite possibly a guaranteed lock-in for a $300,000 bonus, it is clear that Max Holloway’s KO of Justin Gaethje will be going viral. For only the second time in UFC history, the promotion immediately uploaded the entire finishing sequence of the fight on YouTube and the rest of their socials.
Following the win, Holloway went absolutely ballistic on the mic, calling for Ilia Topuria, who looked on in horror at what the former champion had just done. Whilst the people were talking about whether Max’s chin would hold up against a power puncher like Gaethje, Holloway ended up being the first man to fully slump the fighter. Not only Topuria, but Israel Adesanya, Tom Aspinall, and many other top fighters looked on in awe of Max Holloway.
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Thereafter, a fired-up Holloway called for a double bonus for his performance before calling out Ilia Topuria and Islam Makhachev as well. Seeing that Charles Oliveira vs Arman Tsarukyan did not deliver in the way many expected, Max is now a front-runner for a shot at either title. Seeing that he has just blown the roof off of T-Mobile Arena on the biggest card in UFC history, the world is an oyster for Max Holloway.
