TLDR
- Max Holloway knocked out Justin Gaethje with one second left in their UFC 300 fight after challenging him to brawl in the center
- Coach Javier Mendes called Gaethje’s decision to accept the challenge ‘foolish’ and said he should have taken Holloway to the ground
- Gaethje says he would accept the challenge ‘100 times over’ and believes losing that way makes his comeback story more inspiring
- Since the loss, Gaethje has won two straight fights including an interim lightweight title victory over Paddy Pimblett
- Gaethje is scheduled to face Ilia Topuria in a title unification bout in 2026
Sources: Ringside24 | BJPenn.com | MMA Mania
Justin Gaethje says he has no regrets about getting knocked out by Max Holloway with just one second remaining in their fight at UFC 300 in 2024. But his coach strongly disagrees with the strategy that led to the brutal finish.
Holloway was ahead on points in the fifth round when he pointed to the center of the octagon and challenged Gaethje to trade strikes. Gaethje accepted the dare, and Holloway knocked him out cold with one second left in the fight.
The BMF Championship was on the line at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Holloway was on his way to a clear unanimous decision victory before the dramatic ending.
Coach Calls Strategy ‘Foolish’
Javier Mendes, head coach of the AKA gym, criticized Gaethje’s choice to brawl instead of using his wrestling skills. “Max Holloway pointed to the center of the octagon, Max said: ‘Let’s go.’ Justin Gaethje said: ‘Let’s go.’ Foolish,” Mendes said.
Mendes explained that while fans loved the moment, it was a poor tactical decision. “It was great for the fans, but as a strategy—no,” he said.
The veteran coach said he would have pretended to accept the challenge but then taken Holloway to the ground instead. “I would have said, ‘Okay, we’ll meet there’—and would have taken him to the ground,” Mendes explained.
Gaethje Stands by His Decision
During an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, Gaethje defended his choice to accept Holloway’s challenge. “I would do it 100 times over, and I’m glad I lost like that,” Gaethje said.
He believes losing by knockout makes his career story better than losing by decision would have. “It’s a much better story for my legacy to lose like that than to let one more second go and I just lose a decision,” he said.
Gaethje thinks the knockout loss makes his comeback more meaningful. “Me getting knocked out and then coming back and having two wins in a row, it makes those two wins much more inspiring,” he explained.
Since the Holloway fight, Gaethje has not lost again. He earned a dominant unanimous decision win over Rafael Fiziev in his return.
He then captured the interim UFC lightweight title with a victory over Paddy Pimblett at UFC 324 in January 2026. In that fight, Gaethje refused to engage in Pimblett’s grappling game and kept the fight standing.
Gaethje has secured a title unification bout against Ilia Topuria scheduled for sometime in 2026. The exact date and location have not been announced.
Holloway will defend his BMF title against Charles Oliveira on March 7 at UFC 326 in Las Vegas.
