Las Vegas, NV — Max Holloway had nothing but praise for UFC 300 opponent Justin Gaethje after Hawaii’s “Blessed” knocked out the now-former BMF champ in a stunning last-second KO on Saturday.
On a night that easily could have fizzled, the promotion’s tricentennial celebration managed to live up to expectations and even exceed them. That was plain as day in what turned out to be the Fight of the Night, another Gaethje war with Holloway coming out on top as the new “baddest motherf*cker.”
“Shout out to Justin Gaethje, brother. He had everything to lose. Everything to lose. He still took this fight,” Holloway said following the victory, speaking to media outlets including Cageside Press at the T-Mobile Arena. “UFC 300, the biggest fight card for the next decade probably. And to go out there, to do what we did. We got paid, so I’m happy for that. Even the fans. The fans pushing him for this fight, Justin accepting the fight, getting my floral shorts, crazy championship-like walk. It was just an amazing night.”
Many immediately questioned just what was going through Holloway’s head when, with the fight all but done and a win virtually assured, he pointed at the floor, the age-old signal for “stand and trade.” It’s a classic Holloway move, of course, but not usually one most fighters would opt for with a win in the bag and a belt on the line.
“This is the moment. This is what BMF is known for. The baddest motherf’er,” Holloway explained when asked about his mindset at that moment. “First of all, I want to change the named to ‘blessed man forever.'” That’s what the belt means when I hold it. “Blessed man forever.”
“If that’s not a BMF moment I don’t know what is. If the card was flipped and Justin was up, if he felt like he was up, I know he would give me that ten second shot,” Holloway continued. “He’s a bad man, and I don’t know if I’m ever going to share the octagon with him again. He’s a legend, brother. These are the type of fights, this is the type of stuff you do to etch your name in the history books.”
“He missed some shots, I was getting hurt by the wind of his shots. That’s how hard he hits,” the Hawaiian later added.
What’s next for Max Holloway remains to be seen. There’s the possibility of a lightweight title shot, though he appears to have downplayed that idea. Defending the BMF title is an option; no one has done so successfully. And of course there’s Holloway’s old featherweight championship, now in the hands of Ilia Topuria.
“I got options man. It feels great. Dana [White]’s happy, Hunter [Campbell]’s happy, Sean Shelby’s happy. We’ll sit down with the team and figure it out,” Holloway suggested on that front. “I saw they just announced the 55 title, so it looks like [Islam Makhachev]’s finally defending against a 55’er so good on him. And like I said there’s ‘El Matador.’ He’s doing everything in his will to try to escape a bull in the pen. I’m here.”
First up comes to rest and relaxation with family, however. “We’re just chilling brother. I got a thirty day no contact from the doctors, I’m going to enjoy it.”
