Max Holloway says it's “crazy” that Justin Gaethje wasn't credited with knocking him down in their BMF title fight at UFC 300.
Holloway (26-7 MMA) faced Gaethje (25-5 MMA) in a highly anticipated lightweight bout at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas earlier this month.
Leading up to the match, “The Highlight” had expressed a desire to be the first man to knock down “Blessed” in an MMA bout. Of course, Holloway entered this contest on the condition that he had never been knocked down by a blow in 32 professional fights.
Max Holloway thoroughly dominated Justin Gaethje, ultimately scoring one of the craziest KOs in UFC history with one second left in the fifth and final round, but in the fourth round, “The Highlight” turned into “Blessed.” There was a moment when I clipped him and cornered him. canvas.
When the knockdown first occurs,X' was flooded with comments from fans and analysts who acknowledged that Gaethje defeated Holloway for the first time in his career. However, on the official stat sheet, “The Highlight” is not recognized as a knockdown, so Holloway's winning streak remains intact.
During a recent appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience, Max Holloway weighed in on the incident, calling it “crazy” that the UFC didn't give Justin Gaethje credit for the apparent knockdown.
“That didn't count as a drop, that's crazy! ESPN posted and said no matter how many fights I had in the UFC I never got dropped. That's bullshit. Give it to Justin. Yes, I'll take it, you know what I'm saying? But I don't want to be the guy who sits here and says no.
Max Holloway continued (h/t MMAJunkie):
“Bro, I don't even remember getting hit with that punch. Then I sat down and stood up again. I thought, 'What, what did he just hit me with?' you know what i mean? I thought, “Oh my god!” “That was a good punch,” I thought.
“Then I looked again and he hit me on the top of the dome. I was like, 'Oh my god, brother.' This guy is terrible. As soon as he woke up he was fine and it was like a “boom''. His legs just lose strength. Like, even when he was standing up, I was still there, looking at him. But I don't understand why it didn't count as a drop. He doesn't know what counts as a drop. …That was crazy. ”
With his dominant victory at UFC 300, Max Holloway is poised for a future title fight against current UFC featherweight champion Ilya Topria. The Hawaiian and the Spaniard have been back and forth over a potential fight, with El Matador suggesting Holloway would only accept a fight if the BMF title is on the line.
