UFC 300 video: Max Holloway faceplants Justin Gaethje with brutal knockout with 1 second left in fight

Max Holloway proved he really is the baddest motherf***** in the sport after he faceplanted Justin Gaethje with a brutal knockout with just one second remaining in their “BMF” title fight at UFC 300.

It was an exclamation point on an already brilliant performance as Holloway dished out a ton of damage over five rounds but he wasn’t satisfied with just putting on a great show. With seconds remaining in the fight, Holloway stood in the center of the cage, pointed to the ground and invited Gaethje to trade bombs with him.

As they began exchanging blows, Holloway unleashed a hellacious right hand that blasted Gaethje and sent him crashing face first to the canvas. It was one of the most stunning finishes in UFC history with the official end time coming at 4:59 in the fifth round.

“Give it up to Gaethje, a real ‘BMF.’” Holloway said paying homage to his opponent. “Raise the roof for him. I’m him! I’m him guys.”

In a career filled with great performances, Holloway may have actually topped himself with his win over Gaethje on Saturday night. With more size and power on his side this time around at lightweight, Holloway displayed both with a slick left hand that kept finding a home on Gaethje’s chin early in the fight. Holloway tagged Gaethje with a stinging shot in one exchange that definitely got his attention.

Gaethje fired back with several nasty calf kicks that started to form some bruising on Holloway’s lead leg.

A big momentum shift came just before the first round ended after Holloway uncorked a spinning back kick that shattered Gaethje’s nose. Blood began to flow and Gaethje informed his coaches between rounds that he wasn’t able to breathe from his nose after that shot landed.

With Holloway sticking his jab in the face trying to further expose the damaged nose, Gaethje continued to dig away at the lead leg with the calf kicks. One of the kicks nearly took Holloway off his feet as he tried to find an answer to defend one of Gaethje’s best weapons.

Holloway answered back with more of his signature boxing as he kept Gaethje guessing with great footwork and disguising his combinations. A thudding right hand wobbled Gaethje momentarily with Holloway also uncorking two more of those same spinning back kicks that kept finding a home.

Even with Gaethje applying constant pressure, Holloway kept finding a way to circle away and then repeatedly stick the jab in his face. The punches that mashed the already broken nose were clearly affecting Gaethje, who kept wiping away at his face trying to adjust from the damage done.

With just over a minute remaining in the fourth round, Gaethje finally connected with his best punch as he clipped Holloway with a hard right hook that dropped him to the canvas momentarily. Gaethje surged forward but Holloway survived the barrage and reset in the center of the octagon.

Holloway regained his composure as he moved into the final round, blasting Gaethje with another spin kick followed by a combination that landed squarely on the jaw. Gaethje stumbled backwards and Holloway went for the kill with a barrage of punches but he was careful not to overcommit and risk a haymaker coming back at him.

Gaethje survived the onslaught but Holloway stayed in control behind his right hand more of those same kicks that connected with staggering accuracy.

Just when it looked like Holloway was cruising to victory, he decided to relive one of the most famous moments in his career when he stood toe-to-toe with Ricardo Lamas and just traded bombs on the feet. Holloway did the same exact thing as he began exchanging shots with time running out in the fifth round but this time he connected with a brutal right hand that ended Gaethje’s night in dramatic fashion.

Following the jaw-dropping win, Holloway called his shot with hopes to fight for a title next — at either featherweight or lightweight.

“‘El Matador’ [Ilia Topuria] he is running from the bull at 145,” Holloway shouted. “Tell him to sign the contract. Islam [Makhachev] is famous for defending against [featherweights] right? I’m him. I’m right here!

“Any weight, I’m gladiator. I don’t care, whoever’s next sign the dotted line.”