Max Holloway showcased the severity of his leg injury following an intense clash with Justin Gaethje at UFC 300. His left leg was heavily bruised from receiving multiple leg kicks throughout the match.
The highly-anticipated UFC 300 delivered a spectacular show. The event, which took place on April 13 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, featured a stacked card with many matches between UFC’s biggest stars. Many fans would agree that the best bout was a lightweight clash between fan-favorites Max Holloway and Justin Gaethje.
The two fighters battled for the symbolic BMF belt in a five-round war, leaving everything in the octagon. It was an intense back-and-forth brawl from start to finish, with both athletes trading vicious blows without hesitation. However, Holloway slightly edged out Gaethje, surprising many fans with his superior striking. The Hawaiian overwhelmed Gaethje with his diverse arsenal.
The match’s peak came a few seconds before the final bell. Gaethje, sensing an opportunity to knock out Holloway, engaged in an intense exchange. But Holloway emerged victorious, landing a huge punch that knocked out Gaethje just one second before the match ended.
Holloway was leading on the judges’ scorecards and would have won even if the fight went to a decision. However, he didn’t escape unscathed. Gaethje managed to land several significant leg kicks on Holloway’s left leg in their back-and-forth battle.
During a recent interview, Holloway was asked about the condition of his leg. The former featherweight champion explained that his recovery is going well, and his leg has improved, but it’s still heavily bruised. He revealed a reddish area around his knee and praised Gaethje’s kicking ability, saying he “kicked like a Mack Truck.”
“It looks way better. My leg is way better. It’s bruised though. The guy kicked like a Mack Truck bro.” Holloway said.
Despite being underestimated after moving up to lightweight, Holloway proved he’s still a dangerous athlete. As for his next bout, the 32-year-old is likely to return to the featherweight division and challenge the reigning champion, Ilia Topuria.