UFC 300 brought with it some of the most memorable moments in combat sports history. On the night, many fighters delivered with Max Holloway just a head above the rest with his actions and showmanship. However, as it turns out, he is not the only fighter to have tried to do so inside the Octagon.
For those unaware, Max ‘Blessed’ Holloway took on Justin Gaethje at UFC 300. Fighting for Gaethje’s BMF title, the contest would also yield the next contender to Islam Makhachev’s throne. Coming into the fight, there was a lot of concern regarding how the 145er would fare against Gaethje. On the night, Holloway put on an absolute masterclass, capping things off with perhaps the most badass thing in combat sports history.
With about 10 seconds to go on the clock at the end of Round 5, Max Holloway pointed to the center of the Octagon, inviting Gaethje, before throwing down in a mad exchange. In the furious flurry that ensued, both men swung leather with reckless abandon, before a wild overhand caught Gaethje, shutting his lights out. Notably, before the finishing sequence, Holloway was coasting to a 4-1 decision.
Max Holloway is not the only fighter to point to the center of the Octagon
For the most part, Max Holloway’s actions, considering the way the fight had gone, were seen as risky, yet marked the attitude of a true BMF. Since then, the viral knockout has become one of the most viewed clips across social media. As a result, many have been left wondering whether Holloway is the only fighter to have done such a thing inside the Octagon.
Unsurprisingly, Max is not the only fighter to point to the center of the Octagon. In the past, we’ve seen numerous fighters attempt to do the same, however, in one particular instance, it did not work out so well. Notably, Greg Hardy took on Tai Tuivasa on the main card of UFC 264: McGregor vs Poirier 3. In the opening seconds of the bout, Hardy pointed to the center of the canvas beckoning Tuivasa.
that time Greg Hardy thought he was Max Holloway during the Tai Tuivasa fight 💀 pic.twitter.com/aKsYO9jJON
— OOC MMA (@oocmma) April 18, 2024
Unfortunately, it would not work so well for the ‘Prince of War’ who found himself knocked out of consciousness a little over a minute later. On the other hand, Tuivasa had wheeled away celebrating, before doing his trademark shoey. As for Hardy, he lost his next fight against Serghei Spivac, again in the very first round. Thus, he was cut from the UFC and chose to pursue Bareknuckle boxing and influencer boxing afterward.
Every time Max Holloway has pointed to the center of the Octagon
As many may know by now, UFC 300 was not the first time Max Holloway has left it all in the center of the Octagon. With a career as extensive as his, many forget that Holloway has been in the UFC since 2012 when he was only 20 years old. That said, there have been a few epic moments during his career where he has met his opponent in the very center of the Octagon, ready to throw down.
Most notably, many will remember how Holloway threw down with Ricardo Lamas in the last 10 seconds of their fight at UFC 199. One of the craziest scraps in UFC history, it was really the first time that Max had done such a thing and taken such a risk. In the end, it all paid off as Holloway was then able to book his ticket for an interim title showdown with Anthony Pettis afterward.
Similarly, Holloway tried the same with Dustin Poirier in their second fight at UFC 236. In what was his first, short-notice move to lightweight, Max fell short losing a decision. However, he left it all on the line, giving Poirier a run for his money in the final seconds. Additionally, although he didn’t have to point to the center this time around, Max Holloway had another scrap in the last 10 seconds with Arnold Allen, nearly knocking out the Englishman.