Surfing icon Kelly Slater found himself in a state of shock after witnessing Max Holloway’s knockout victory at UFC 300, making him the “BMF” champion. UFC CEO Dana White gave out a one-night bonus of $600K, making Holloway bag the most extra cash.
Max Holloway had an epic knockout against Justin Gaethje in their ‘BMF’ title fight at UFC 300, securing one of the greatest knockouts in MMA history with a faceplant finish in the final second. Kelly Slater, whose love for UFC is not unknown, praised Max Holloway’s electrifying performance in the Octagon via his Instagram story, showing deep admiration for Holloway’s intensity.
Kelly Slater reacts to Max Holloway’s KO performance at UFC 300
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Kelly Slater took to his Instagram to share a story about the win of Max Holloway in the BMF Belt at UFC 300 with the caption “@blessedemma Max Holloway…craziest performance/finish in UFC history? @danawhite the man wants his 600k!”, commenting on the win of Max Holloway with a violent last-second knockout of Justin Gaethje. Holloway got “Fight of the Night” and “Performance of the Night” bonuses for his knockout victory, totaling $1,150,000. Justin Gaethje received $300,000 despite losing the fight with an extra $850,000 in performance bonuses. Max Holloway’s explosive match in the last 25 minutes, especially the footwork made it extremely difficult for Justin to secure the win.
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Apart from Holloway and Gaethje, Jiří Procházka received the other bonus of $300,000 for his victory over Aleksandar Rakic. UFC 300, which was held at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, concluded with Dana White making several exciting fight announcements backstage. Slater, who has shown a keen interest in mixed martial arts (MMA), has several interesting fights to look forward as he has been known to attend different UFC events.
Surfing legend Kelly Slater: A die-hard UFC fan and advocate
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The 11-time surfing champion is famous not only for his mastery of the waves but also for his keen involvement in the world of UFC. Despite his primary reputation as a surfing legend, Slater harbors a profound love for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ). For over a decade, Slater has dedicated himself to mastering the art of BJJ and has achieved the rank of blue belt. Kelly Slater’s friendship with numerous UFC fighters adds an extra layer of intrigue and excitement to the mix.
One such incident is when the UFC fighter Israel Adesanya shared an image where he was surfing with Kelly Slater. Adesanya revealed he had 3 surfing sessions with Kelly Slater and found it challenging. He was pleased that Slater got to see him surf for the first time. During an interview, Kelly Slater mentioned his friendships with several UFC fighters due to his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu background. He also shared that he has trained with Jason Parillo, a well-known MMA striking coach. These experiences highlight Slater’s close ties to the MMA world and his commitment to expanding his skills beyond surfing.