LAS VEGAS -- Max Holloway has been a bad man for a long, long time. And after dramatically knocking out Justin Gaethje Saturday with a second remaining in their fight for the BMF title at UFC 300 at T-Mobile Arena, he now has a belt to prove it.
Holloway seemingly had the fight won entering the final seconds of the bout. But he pointed to the center of the Octagon and dared Gaethje to slug during the final seconds of the bout. Gaethje obliged and a Holloway right hand to the chin sent Gaethje face-first to the canvas. Referee Marc Godard stopped it at 4:59.
It was one of the most dramatic knockouts in UFC history and one of the greatest performances of Holloway's brilliant career. He's long fought the best fighters in the world, and came out on top more often than not. But in challenging Gaethje for the BMF title and moving up a weight class to do it, many felt he might have bitten off more than he could chew.
But Holloway was on point throughout, using his jab, his footwork and his accurate punches to befuddle Gaethje. Holloway appeared to break Gaethje's nose at the end of the first round with a spinning back kick that drew oohs and aahs from the heavily hyped crowd.
It was nothing, though, compared to the ending. Earlier in the round, Holloway hurt Gaethje and sent him back to the cage. Holloway followed him in and landed a series of hard shots, going to the head and body, but Gaethje took them.
When the clock was nearly out, Holloway could just have played it safe and ran out the clock. Instead, in one of the gutsiest decisions ever, he challenged the powerful Gaethje to a slugfest in the center to end the fight with a bang. He was up 39-37 on two cards with the third card even at 38-38.
When that right hand landed, the crowd went wild and Holloway proved he's one of the baddest men ever.
Arman Tsarukyan win's tense battle with Charles Oliveira by split decision
Charles Oliveira had a guillotine choke on Arman Tsarukyan in the first round that was very tight. He caught Tsarukyan with a D'Arce choke in the waning seconds of the third round. But it wasn't enough in the eyes of two of the three judges and Tsarukyan took a split decision win over Oliveira in their No. 1 contender's fight in the lightweight division.
It was a back-and-forth battle with both men having their moments. Mike Bell had it 29-28 for Oliveira, but Adelaide Byrd and Ron McCarthy each had it 29-28 for Tsarukyan, whose wrestling was the defining feature of the fight. It was Tsarukyan's 8:41 of control time which neutralized Oliveira and prevented him for getting his offense rolling.
Oliveira seemed to have it in the first when he caught Tsarukyan with a guillotine. It was cinched but Tsarukyan fought it off and managed to create space. He eventually reversed Oliveira and controlled the remainder of the round.
Tsarukyan was in command for most of the third, but Oliveira caught him with a D'Arce with just under a minute left. At one point, it seemed that Tsarukyan went out, but he did not. When the final bell ran, he popped up.
He made his UFC debut against Islam Makhachev and now looks like he'll get to challenge the champion for the title.
Bo Nickal gives himself a double thumbs down after submission win
Bo Nickal didn't get another first-round victory, but the super prospect opened the UFC 300 main card at T-Mobile Arena raised his record to 6-0 by submitting Cody Brundage at 3:48 of the second round with a rear naked choke. When it was over, Nickal gave himself a double thumbs down, indicating he was unhappy with his performance.
But he softened his stance a bit moments later.
"A lot of these guys I'm fighting have 15, 20 fights," Nickal said. "Remember, I have six fights."
Nickal took Brundage down repeatedly in the fight and worked to take his back. He had several attempts at a rear naked choke in the first round, but he couldn't get it in.
He took Nickal down again when the second round began and was all over Brundage's back. He got the body triangle in and finally cinched the choke, getting the tap.
"I feel a little bit embarrassed because I expect to go out there and do the job and shut this guy out," Nickal said. "I gave him a little bit too many opportunities."
Zhang Weili wins unanimous decision over gritty Yan Xiaonan
Strawweight champion Zhang Weili retained her belt in the co-main event of UFC 300 with a decision victory over Yan Xiaonan, but if it weren't for Yan's toughness, the bout could have ended in the first or second round. Zhang had a rear naked choke sunk in so deep in final seconds of the first that when the bell sounded to save her, Yan staggered to her corner and nearly fell.
In the second, Zhang got Yan's back and was pummeling her with ground-and-pound, but referee Jason Herzog didn't stop it. But in the third, the hard-nosed Yan knocked Zhang down and won the round. Seemingly out of it, Yan dropped Zhang several times and fought her way back into the fight.
But judges all had it 49-45 for Zhang as she retained the belt as a 5-1 favorite.