Video: Max Holloway Stuns Justin Gaethje, MMA Fans with KO to Win BMF Belt at UFC 300
Alex BallentineApril 14, 2024
Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Max Holloway has a new belt to put beside his featherweight championship belts. He’s the new “BMF” champion after beating Justin Gaethje by fifth-round knockout on the main card of UFC 300 from Las Vegas.
UFC @ufcTHE BADDEST MOTHERF****R 😮💨 @BlessedMMA | #UFC300 pic.twitter.com/WHtaTOmniw
UFC @ufcpic.twitter.com/s0HrqZxgla
Everyone had thoughts:
Marc Raimondi @marcraimondiMax Holloway has been in the UFC for 12 years and he’s still putting on performances like this. He just slept one of the top contenders a division above him after being one of the best featherweights ever. This is absurd. What a legend. #UFC300
Patrick Mahomes II @PatrickMahomesThat was crazy!!!!!!!! #UFC300
Karl-Anthony Towns @KarlTownsOMG 😳 #UFC300
Bill Simmons @BillSimmonsMax has the fight won, waves JG into the middle for the last 10 seconds just to trade bombs, and knocks him out with one second to spare… I think that’s a first! Just legendary!!!
Louis Riddick @LRiddickESPNYo. You call somebody to the center of the ring to trade. And then knock them out…you definitely are a BMFer.
Period
Belal Muhammad @bullyb170I have an adrenaline dump from the last fight
Matt Brown @IamTheImmortalCould watch this 1000 times. Possibly the most epic 10 seconds in ufc history! https://t.co/jz4WtnWBbW
Ariel Helwani @arielhelwaniHOLY SHIT.
That’s one of the greatest finishes ever.
The legend of Max Blessed grows.
WOW.
Luke Thomas🏋️♀️ @lthomasnewsThat’s easily one of the most legendary finishes in UFC history. 4:59 of round 5. BMF title. UFC 300. Up a weight class.
Max Holloway is an all-time great.
Brett Okamoto @bokamotoESPNGotta love the f*ck out of both of those guys. Man, oh man. And when we watch this highlight for the rest of time, don’t forget Gaethje didn’t have to take this fight AT ALL. Maybe could have been fighting Islam in June, who knows. Two WARRIORS.
Holloway got off to a strong start in the first stanza. Blessed attacked with a tactical approach. His use of angles and controlled aggression helped him build an early lead. He punctuated the round with a spinning kick that appeared to have damaged Gaethje’s nose.
Andreas Hale @AndreasHaleHolloway’s landed a spinning back kick that almost stabbed Gaethje’s brain with his nose bone at the end of the 1st round. We could hear the sound of it crack Octagon side. #UFC300
Unfortunately, Holloway’s strong performance was marred by two eye pokes in the second round. The fight was paused twice for accidental eye pokes by Holloway leading to some to criticize the referee for not deducting a point:
E. Spencer Kyte @spencerkyteWe have to take points.
Accidental or not, these are fouls and people have to be penalized, especially after two in the same round, one to each eye. #UFC300
Regardless, the fight pressed on and so did Holloway’s impressive performance. Gaethje had success with leg kicks, but it was Holloway who was impressing his fellow fighters by continuously tagging Gaethje with clean boxing.
The Diamond @DustinPoirierMan max looks crisp tonight #UFC300
Holloway’s speed was particularly striking. He used it as a deterrent for Gaethje’s aggression as well as a tool to lead off some exchanges.
ESPN MMA @espnmmaGaethje and Holloway are going all out for the BMF title 🔥 #UFC300 pic.twitter.com/0OjZqv9tI3
But it’s never good to completely count out Gaethje in any fight. The Highlight reminded everyone why he had the BMF belt in the first place, digging deep to score the first knockdown of Holloway’s career in the fourth round.
He landed a right hook behind Holloway’s ear to set up an intriguing final round.
As if Holloway needed to make an even bigger statement he invited Gaethje to engage in a wild exchange to end the fight and landed a massive right hand to end the fight with one second left.
Marc Raimondi @marcraimondiThe finish came at 4:59. Holloway by knockout. One of the greatest finishes in UFC history. At UFC 300. Unreal.
Holloway has long been one of the most entertaining fighters in the business. His trademark toughness and high-action fighting style have made him a mainstay on the main event scene for years.
While the BMF belt is mostly a promotional ploy to add some stakes to non-title fights, it’s a worthy title for Holloway. He has already cemented a legacy as one of the greatest featherweights of all-time.
Adding a title moment on the historic UFC 300 card is a nice addition to his resume.
He also has a few other things he’d like to put on it.
“I really want my undisputed (featherweight) title back,” Holloway said, per Zac Pacleb of UFC.com. “Then, maybe, we can come back up. But I mean, if (UFC matchmakers) give you a (lightweight) title shot right after this one, what do you say?”
The win over Gaethje certainly gives him options.
Current lightweight champion Islam Makhachev doesn’t have a title defense and the two have traded barbs recently. However, Ilia Topuria just became the featherweight champion, clearing the way for him to avoid another fight with Alexander Volkanovski and fight for that title again.
Either way, Holloway is currently the “BMF” of the UFC.
