Carnage, aggression, unfettered confidence, and explosive punches—Justin Gaethje vs. Max Holloway had it all. The contest to determine the “baddest” man in the UFC turned out to be the way every fan expected—violent. Amid a flurry of punches and a clash of wills, it was ‘Blessed’ who stood tall and walked out with the BMF belt at UFC 300.

It was the Hawaiian fighter’s second endeavor in the lightweight division, and he succeeded this time. Holloway won the fight via knockout at 4:59 in the final round. The buzzer-beater finish sent everyone into a frenzy, including Joe Rogan, whose stunned reaction made waves on the internet soon after.

Blood, violence, and a wild fight at UFC 300

Both started the fight slowly and sized up their opponent. While Holloway pushed the pressure and his hooks did the damage, Gaethje relied on calf kicks to do the same. Holloway closed the first round with a late spinning kick to Gaethje’s nose, and the blood came gushing out. However, he would commit two eye pokes in the second round to halt the fight for a brief moment. That seemed to affect the fight’s outcome, as Gaethje already had trouble breathing. By the end of two rounds, Holloway’s left leg was busted. Meanwhile, a blood fountain was running over Gaethje’s face. But both were relentless in their approach.

It was in small pockets of exchange that made the difference, as Holloway won those exchanges with precise hitting and body shots. Gaethje also wobbled on his feet in some instances. By the end of three rounds, Holloway was running away on the scorecards by 30-27. A similar story continued, and his dominance only amplified in the championship rounds as his boxing overpowered Gaethje’s heart.

The only glimmer of hope for Gaethje was his shot at Holloway’s head, which knocked him down. But he was on the receiving end of a thrashing in the final round, as Holloway’s combinations caught him lacking in the dying seconds of the fight. In the end, it was Holloway who stood tall with Gaethje lying face flat on the canvas. The splendid finish dropped everyone’s jaws, and we have another viral reaction of Joe Rogan, screaming his lungs out.

Islam Makhachev lauds Max Holloway and Justin Gaethje for their war

A win has raised Holloway’s stock both in the featherweight and lightweight divisions. He now holds the right to call out the champion in both divisions and might only be a fight away from fighting Ilia Topuria or Islam Makhachev next. The lightweight champion then turned to his X handle and heaped praise on both Holloway and Gaethje.

He wrote, “Justin is a warrior, keep your head up champ! Spectacular performance by Max, congrats.” It remains to be seen who Holloway pursues next. A title fight at featherweight ahead of Alexander Volkanovski might be a tempting offer, a crown that he has been chasing for years now.

What do you make of this exciting fight between Justin Gaethje and Max Holloway at UFC 300? Let us know in the comments below.