April 14, 2024 9:30 am ET
LAS VEGAS– After 24 minutes and 50 seconds of compelling action, Max Holloway had a win over Justin Gaethje in the bag. Which is to state the previous UFC featherweight champ had no factor to stand and trade with his knockout artist foe in the last 10 seconds.
And yet, when the wood clapper clapped in the 5th round of their UFC 300 battle, Holloway indicated the center of the cage and welcomed Gaethje to take part in war. They did simply that, and with one 2nd left, Holloway put the complements on a skillful light-weight efficiency with a one-punch knockout of Gaethje with one 2nd left in their BMF title battle Saturday night at T-Mobile.
The ruthless surface, which ought to be the frontrunner for Knockout of the Year, sent out the MMA world into a craze and left UFC CEO Dana White awestruck– because, once again, there was no factor for Holloway put himself in damage’s method.
Why take the danger? What was going through Holloway’s mind?
“That this is the minute. That this is what BMFs is understood for– the baddest mother-effer,” Holloway stated at the UFC 300 post-event press conference. “… If that’s not a BMF minute, I do not understand what is. If the cards were turned and Justin seemed like he was up, I understand he would provide me that 10-second shot. He’s a bad guy, and I do not understand if I’m ever gon na share the octagon with him once again. He’s a legend.
“This is the kind of things you do to engrave your name in the history books. I’m simply pleased that I was the one landing. He missed out on some shots, and I was getting injured by the wind of his shots. That’s how difficult he strikes.”
Apr 13, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Justin Gaethje (red gloves) is up to the mat while battling Max Holloway (blue gloves) throughout UFC 300 at T-Mobile Arena. Compulsory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
As amazing as the success was, Holloway stated it was the 2nd favorite of his profession behind UFC 212 in December 2017, when he declared his very first indisputable 145-pound title versus Jose Aldo in Rio de Janeiro.
A turning point as the horn sounded in the preliminary was Holloway landed a spinning back kick that most likely broke Gaethje’s nose.
“I was blessed enough to land that spinning back kick. I believe it broke his nose,” Holloway stated. “I might hear Trevor (Wittman) there resembling, ‘Don’t blow it out.’ I was like, ‘Yeah, his nose is broken.’ I felt in one’s bones battling 20 minutes like that is a difficult thing. I believe being at elevation assisted him a lot, due to the fact that any less of a guy does refrain from doing what Justin Gaethje does. He’s constructed of titanium. I do not understand what it is.