LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – APRIL 13: (R-L) Max Holloway punches Justin Gaethje in a lightweight fight … [+]
UFC 300 was a spectacular night for Max Holloway. Not only did the former UFC featherweight champion capture the (symbolic) BMF title with a last-second knockout over Justin Gaethje, but Holloway earned himself an extra $600,000 in bonuses for his efforts.
In the lead-up to Saturday’s UFC 300 fight card, UFC CEO Dana White announced that the fight-night bonus awards would be increased from the usual $50,000 for the events to a historic high of $300,000. Holloway and Gaethje, who are both known for their all-action styles, were immediately seen as the front-runners to capture a share of those bonuses.
The matchup between Holloway and Gaethje, a former interim UFC lightweight champion, was contested at the lightweight limit of 155 pounds. Gaethje’s BMF title was on the line. The bout took place on the pay-per-view portion of the UFC 300 fight card.
Holloway’s boxing skills proved too much for Gaethje throughout the fight. Holloway landed 181 significant strikes throughout the bout. The former 145-pound champion used a very balanced attack in picking apart his opponent, landing 34 percent of his strikes to Gaethje’s head, 34 percent to the body, and 31 percent to the legs. Gaethje, meanwhile, scored on 51 percent of his significant strikes.
Holloway did a phenomenal job of fighting at his range and pace during the five-round battle, never allowing Gaethje a sustained run of offense. Gaethje did score what appeared to be a flash knockdown in the fourth round of the scrap, but the official scorers did not credit him with a knockdown.
The highlight of the fight came as the clock ticked down in the fifth and final round. With the fight nearing its end, Holloway pointed to the center of the Octagon, indicating that he wanted Gaethje to engage him in a slugfest in the contest’s final seconds. Gaethje obliged, and as the two threw down, Holloway connected with a devastating right hand that dropped Gaethje to his face with one second left in the fight.
After the fight, the UFC awarded the scrap “Fight of the Night” honors. Holloway also picked up a “Performance of the Night” bonus.
When asked, at the post-fight press conference why he would risk what was a sure decision victory, Holloway replied, “That this is the moment. That this is what BMFs is known for – the baddest mother-effer… If that’s not a BMF moment, I don’t know what is. If the cards were flipped and Justin felt like he was up, I know he would give me that 10-second shot. He’s a bad man, and I don’t know if I’m ever gonna share the octagon with him again. He’s a legend.
“This is the type of stuff you do to etch your name in the history books. I’m just happy that I was the one landing. He missed some shots, and I was getting hurt by the wind of his shots. That’s how hard he hits.”
When the fight ended at 4:59 of Round 5, Holloway was ahead of Gaethje on all three scorecards, 39- 37.
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Sophie Anderson, a UK-based writer, is your guide to the latest trends, viral sensations, and internet phenomena. With a finger on the pulse of digital culture, she explores what’s trending across social media and pop culture, keeping readers in the know about the latest online sensations.
