Max Holloway recently expressed disbelief over not being credited with a knockdown by Justin Gaethje during their BMF title fight at UFC 300. Despite Holloway’s dominant performance and a spectacular knockout in the final round, a moment in the fourth round saw Gaethje land a significant strike that sent Holloway to the canvas. This event marked the first time in Holloway’s extensive career that he had been knocked down by a strike.
While fans and analysts initially recognized the knockdown, it was not officially recorded on the stats sheet, preserving Holloway’s streak of never being knocked down from a strike in his professional MMA career.
Holloway himself acknowledged the validity of the knockdown during a recent appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience, emphasizing the significance of Gaethje’s punch and expressing surprise that it wasn’t counted.
Reflecting on the moment, Holloway admitted to being caught off guard by Gaethje’s strike, even though he doesn’t recall the punch itself. Watching the footage later, he realized the impact of the blow and acknowledged Gaethje’s power, describing it as a moment where his legs momentarily gave out. Despite quickly recovering and continuing the fight, Holloway remained puzzled by the decision not to credit Gaethje with the knockdown.
Following his victory at UFC 300, Max Holloway now looks ahead to a potential title fight against UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria. Discussions between Holloway and Topuria have included the possibility of putting the BMF title on the line, adding another layer of intrigue to a potential future matchup.
Holloway’s performance at UFC 300 solidified his position as one of the top contenders in the featherweight division, setting the stage for what could be an exciting title bout against Topuria.
