In the electrifying atmosphere of UFC 300, Max Holloway delivered a moment that will be etched in mixed martial arts history. Facing Justin Gaethje for the symbolic BMF title, ‘Blessed’ showcased his striking prowess and tactical brilliance. Holloway’s relentless pressure throughout the fight culminated in a knockout that commentator Joe Rogan hailed as the “KO of the century.” In a display of confidence and showmanship, with ten seconds remaining, Holloway pointed to the center of the Octagon, inviting Gaethje to engage in a final exchange.

This bold move culminated in a devastating right hand that sent Gaethje face-first to the canvas with just one second left on the clock. The T-Mobile Arena erupted in response to the dramatic finish and Holloway seemed absolutely pumped up with what he managed to pull off. UFC President Dana White likened the scene to a movie, emphasizing that such moments define the essence of the BMF title. Holloway’s willingness to risk everything for a memorable finish, even with the fight already in his favor, solidified his status as one of the sport’s most beloved figures. But what could have happened if ‘The Highlight’ managed to knock out Holloway?

Well, according to him, he would have pulled off his legendary backflip celebration. Combat Talk took to their Instagram account to share a conversation Justin Gaethje had on his X account. One user reminded him that he would not have celebrated the way Holloway did after beating him at UFC 300. But ‘The Highlight’ seemed to have a different plan altogether. He responded, “I was trying to do the same exact thing to him. I might have backflipped on him. There is no controlling the sudden rush of emotions.” Well, a lot has changed since that historic knockout at UFC 300.

‘Blessed’ went on to lose his fight and his BMF title to Ilia Topuria at UFC 308. Gaethje on the other hand took some time to recover and will feature at UFC 313 against Rafael Fiziev. But the big question is, can he win the mental battle and forget about his last loss? Former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman knows a thing or two about getting knocked out. He feels this will be the biggest challenge for ‘The Highlight’ when he steps inside the Octagon on March 8th.

Kamaru Usman wants Gaethje to get over his last knockout loss before UFC 313

When the UFC unveiled Justin Gaethje vs. Dan Hooker as the co-main event for UFC 313, fans braced themselves for an all-out war. With both fighters renowned for their relentless aggression and highlight-reel battles, this matchup promised to be nothing short of chaos. But just as anticipation reached its peak, disaster struck. ‘The Hangman’ suffered a devastating injury, forcing him to withdraw and leaving fans wondering what would come next. But just like old times, the UFC has found a replacement in #11-ranked Rafael Fiziev. Both fighters have a bit of history between them.

The pair have previously faced each other at UFC 286 with Gaethje coming out on top. However, both of them have their own mental battles which they need to overcome. Fiziev is making a comeback after he suffered a knee injury during his fight at UFC Vegas 79. His opponent on the other hand is coming off a knockout loss, which Usman feels will be a crucial factor.

During a recent interview, the former champion said, “I think there are challenges on both sides. But when you are dealing with Justin Gaethje when you have never really been put out quite like that before [referring to UFC 300]. So when you are dealing with something like that, and then you had time to kind of let it fester. And process it and try to work through it. You never know if there are residual things there in the back of your mind”. 

The former BMF title holder has all the skillsets to come out on the winning side at UFC 313. However, he will have to be at his best both mentally and physically to do that. Who do you think will win between the two? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.