UFC 300: Max Holloway Lives Up to the BMF Moniker with Stunning KO of Justin Gaethje

It’s one of the greatest finishes in MMA history. And Max Holloway delivered it.

Considered one of the best and most beloved fighters in UFC, Holloway earned the title and BMF moniker at Saturday’s UFC 300 event in Las Vegas, sparking Justin Gaethje with a crackling combination in the waning seconds of a fight that was already an instant classic.

The result is even more shocking considering no one thought it would happen like this.

Bleacher Report @BleacherReportMAX HOLLOWAY KNOCKS OUT JUSTIN GAETHJE WITH ONE SECOND LEFT IN THE FINAL ROUND FOR THE BMF TITLE 🤯🤯

(via @ufc) pic.twitter.com/jCekFOLJp7

Holloway and Gaethj met at lightweight on Saturday’s stacked main card, and were competing for the UFC’s novelty “BMF” title, a special prize for fighters who leave it all in the cage every time they compete. While both men undoubtedly met that description and were expected to co-author an exciting contest, few people expected Holloway to win.

The Hawaiian is a former champion at featherweight and one of the greatest fighters in the division’s history, but he suffered a decisive decision loss to Dustin Poirier in his most recent trip up to the lightweight division. He looked a bit undersized for the weight class in that fight, and the expectation was that he would also be at a physical disadvantage against Gaethje. Holloway’s problems were compounded by the fact that Gaethje is one of the most dangerous strikers in MMA today, with atomic power in his fists and legs.

These were some reasons Gaethje entered the fight as a notable betting favorite. Many even thought he’d be able to stop Holloway, despite the Hawaiian’s reputation for incredible durability.

In the end, Holloway had other ideas.

Spinnin Backfist @SpinninBackfistMAX HOLLOWAY IS THE TRUE BMF OF THE WORLD #UFC300 pic.twitter.com/t0efwGxUxT

Early in the fight, it was clear that Holloway was stronger than he was when he fought Poirier. It was also immediately obvious that he didn’t lose any of his featherweight quickness. These two traits made him an immediate problem for Gaethje. By the time the first round was up, he had soundly out-landed the veteran lightweight with his boxing and even broke his nose with a brilliantly timed spinning kick in the final seconds.

That trend continued into rounds two and three. While Gaethje had some success with his leg kicks, Holloway continued to land quick and powerful punches and managed to wobble his increasingly bloody foe several more times.

By the time the fourth round began, it was clear that Gaethje would need two extremely dominant rounds to win—and probably a finish. For a period in the fourth round, it looked like he would pull it off, as he suddenly found his range and even managed to drop Holloway with a punch—something nobody had ever done before. Yet Holloway survived the round, sending the fight into its final five minutes, at which point he earned his immortality with a knockout win that may never be outdone.

It happened in the final seconds of the fight. After regaining control of the striking exchanges, and rocking Gaethje with a hard shot, the former featherweight pointed to the center of the Octagon, calling his opponent into a final gunfight, just like he did against Ricardo Lamas in 2016.

It was an insane gamble from the Hawaiian. He was up at least four rounds against a man he was supposed to lose to and risked blowing it all if his opponent landed one good punch.

In the end, Holloway’s gamble paid off. With one second left on the clock, on the tail end of a combo composed of well over a dozen punches, he wasted his opponent with a rocket-fuelled right hand. It was a clean, one-shot knockout over a man who had never been completely shut off before—a man who looked like a nightmare matchup on paper.

With his stunning victory over Gaethje, Holloway became the UFC’s new BMF champion and the best example of the qualities of the BMF concept that seems silly at first inspection, but actually embodies what makes MMA exciting: grit, heart, and a no-BS attitude. More importantly, the win cemented his status as the No. 1 contender at featherweight and possibly made him the top contender for a lightweight title shot.

He called for both opportunities in an impassioned post-fight interview with UFC commentator Joe Rogan, first setting his sights on new featherweight champ Ilia Topuria, then challenging dominating lightweight champion Islam Makhachev.

It remains to be seen which of those opportunities Holloway will get in his next fight. Either way, he may once again enter the cage as an underdog. Maybe he will defy the odds in style like he did against Gaethje, or maybe the bookmakers will be right.

After UFC 300, it almost doesn’t matter. Holloway could retire right now, or lose his next three fights, and his legend would still be completely secure. He’s one of the baddest dudes in MMA history. Most of us have known it for a long time. Now he’s got the belt to prove it.