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During the UFC 300 Post-Fight Press Conference on April 13, UFC CEO Dana White announced that a bout between former middleweight champion Sean Strickland and Paulo Costa would serve as the UFC 302 co-main event.  

Costa (14-3) has lost three of his last four fights and is coming off a loss to former titleholder Robert Whittaker in his last outing in February.  Strickland (28-6) was defeated by Dricus Du Plessis via split decision in his last bout in January.  For months Strickland has lobbied for an immediate rematch, but agreed to faced Costa next after meeting with the fight promotion.  

On Wednesday, Strickland vowed to make that ‘dirty Brazilian’ bleed on June 1 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.  

“You know, you guys, I like Costa.  He’s a funny guy.  He makes me laugh.  He’s pro-free speech.  I like that guy,” said Strickland in a video.  “But I’m going to make that dirty Brazilian bleed.  I’m going to do it for Brazil because Brazil doesn’t even like Costa.  So, hey, Brazil, this is for you guys.  Let’s get it done.”

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UFC 302 is headlined by a lightweight title bout between champion Islam Makhachev and fourth-ranked Dustin Poirier.  Makhachev (25-1) is coming off back-to-back wins over former featherweight kingpin Alexander Volkanovski.  Poirier (30-8, 1NC) will entered the championship match coming off a knockout win over Benoît Saint Denis.  

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Former UFC lightweight title challenger Nate Diaz has a rematch scheduled against Jorge Masvidal inside the boxing ring.  The two will fight each other in a 10-round boxing match at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, Calif. on June 1.

Diaz and Masvidal first fought inside the UFC octagon in the inaugural ‘BMF’ matchup.  Masvidal took home the symbolic belt due to doctor stoppage after the third round.  While Masvidal is his next opponent, Diaz revealed a ‘hit list’ for future bouts and guaranteed a third bout against McGregor will eventually happen.    

Diaz handed McGregor his first UFC loss after stepping in on late notice at UFC 196 in March 2016.  A rematch was quickly booked and McGregor avenged the loss at UFC 202 five months later.  

“I 100 percent guarantee I’m going to fight Conor McGregor again,” Diaz recently said in an interview with multiple outlets. “I 100 percent guarantee that I’m probably going to fight Jake Paul again, this f**king f**ker (Jorge Masvidal) again, and Leon Edwards again. That’s my hit list.”

Diaz lost to Paul via unanimous decision in a boxing match last August.  He was also defeated by Edwards by unanimous decision in June 2021.  Diaz hurt Edwards with a punch in the final round of the fight, but the current welterweight champion soundly won the bout.

Diaz left the fight promotion after fulfilling his contract in September 2022.  In his last octagon appearance, Diaz earned a ‘Performance of the Night’ bonus for his submission win over Tony Ferguson at UFC 279.     

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Featherweight champion Ilia Topuria was in attendance at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas for the historic UFC 300 event on April 13.  He was there for one reason, to see if Max Holloway defeated Justin Gaethje in their ‘BMF’ bout.  

Holloway did beat Gaethje and did so in highlight reel fashion.  With ten seconds remaining in the final round, Holloway was up on the scorecards.  Instead of coasting to the win, he pointed to the ground to signify his willingness to throw down until the end.  Gaethje obliged and found himself face down on the canvas with one second left on the clock.  

“I was just hoping him (Holloway) to win because if he was to win I was supposed to fight him next,” Topuria said on The MMA Hour.  “He did a great job.  To be honest, the greatest moments in the fight we all know was the last ten seconds.  Without that, I didn’t like the fight.  But what makes the fight special was the last ten seconds.  The real bad motherf**ker moment, so you have to give him his credit.”    

Topuria expects to face the former featherweight titleholder near the end of the year.  Holloway is ranked second in the division.  

“Hopefully we’re going to share the octagon until the end of the year,” Topuria said.  “You know what’s going to happen.”

Related: Joe Rogan reacts to Max Holloway’s ‘greatest knockout of all time’

“Fighting against me is going to be completely different because I don’t make any step backs.  All the time I walk forward.  I can wrestle.  I can go to the ground.  I can punch you and I move.  When I go inside that cage with a strategy.  I don’t go there just to throw some punches,” Topuria continued.  “Max Holloway, he’s next.  He’s next.”  

Topuria challenged Holloway to do what he did in the last ten seconds of the UFC 300 fight with Gaethje in the first ten seconds of the fight against him.  

“Just bring the same energy you had in the last ten seconds but bring it in the first ten seconds.  And we’ll see what’s going to happen.  Let’s bang,” Topuria said.    

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Former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling made his featherweight debut at UFC 300 against eighth-ranked Calvin Kattar.  If he had lost, Sterling may have retired.

“Fight day in the backroom is when I really started to second guess a lot of everything.  I was just having doubt of like, man, if this doesn’t go well I don’t know where I go from here,” Sterling said on The MMA Hour.  “Do I continue to keep fighting?  Do I just call it quits kind of thing?  Those are real thoughts I had.

“At the end of the day, I’m not just trying to collect a check.  There’s so many guys that stick around just to do that.  I respect them, but I’m here to be number one,” Sterling continued.  “If it’s just like I’m going to be in the pack, I’ve made enough money.  I think I’ve done enough in my career where I’m like, alright, it’s probably time to find a new job.  That’s kind of the way I look at things.  If you’re not first, you’re last.”  

Sterling kept his inner monologue to himself.  He didn’t tell his coaches, teammates, or his fiancé that he was thinking about retiring if he lost.  

“It depends on how it would have happened,” he said.  “If I had got my a** completely kicked by Calvin Kattar, I was probably done.  No one knew about that.  I didn’t share those sentiments with anybody.”

Fortunately for “Funk Master,” he defeated Kattar by unanimous decision and replaced Kattar in the eighth spot in the featherweight rankings. He expects to be back in the octagon this fall and wants to fight the highest ranked opponent that he can get.    

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Max Holloway may have delivered one of the most iconic knockouts the world has ever seen and a video has now surfaced of his instant reaction whilst backstage.

‘Blessed’ had everything stacked against him heading into his UFC 300 bout against Justin Gaethje on April 13. Despite competing in a higher weight class against one of the most vicious fighters to ever grace the octagon, Holloway showed exactly why he’s one of the greatest fighters of his generation.

To celebrate his big win, Max Holloway shared a behind the scenes look at the aftermath of UFC 300. The footage saw Holloway share moments with former UFC champion Kamaru Usman, Gaethje’s coach Trevor Wittman, and comedian Theo Vonn after his triumphant night in the cage.

While undergoing medicals, Holloway discussed the fight on a phone call immediately following the victory.

“That last 10 seconds was for you. All week, you told me, ‘Just throw,'” Holloway said. “All week.”

“I was hurting him. I was hurting him but if anything, a hurt lion’s more dangerous. Everytime I hurt him, he had the craziest look in his eyes. I was like, ‘F*** this.’ I ain’t trying nothing dumb.”

Related: Joe Rogan reacts to Max Holloway’s ‘greatest knockout of all time’

Having completely outclassed Justin Gaethje for the entirety of the fight, Max Holloway just needed to coast to the finish line. Instead, with 10 seconds remaining on the clock, the Hawaiin pointed to the center of the octagon and lured his opponent into one of the most memorable knockouts the sport has witnessed, landing the finishing blow with just one second left on the clock.

All signs now point towards Holloway competing for the unbeaten Ilia Topuria’s featherweight title next. Although his plan is to return to 145, the 32-year-old now finds himself ranked within the top 10 at lightweight–which is regarded as one of the most stacked divisions in the UFC.

Check out Max Holloway’s behind the scenes footage below.

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Joe Rogan has boldly claimed that Max Holloway’s knockout of Justin Gaethje is the greatest the UFC has ever seen.

Rogan has been present for almost every significant moment inside the octagon since making his commentary debut back in 1997. He has seen it all during his long tenure, but he believes that no knockout exceeds the one he witnessed at UFC 300.

Shortly after seeing Justin Gaethje hit the canvas followed by the fans erupting in support of Max Holloway, Joe Rogan shared his views on the finish.

“That’s the greatest knockout of all time,” Rogan said during the UFC 300 broadcast. “With so many people counting him out, with so many people thinking he was outgunned, with so many people thinking he wouldn’t have a chance against the firepower of Justin Gaethje.”

“The fact that he called for that with 10 seconds left in the fight and put the lights out on one of the most dangerous men to ever fight in the sport.”

“The fact that he did it this way, too, that he pointed to the center of the octagon, pointed to the floor and said, ‘Let’s throw down right here’ and then sleeps Justin Gaethje with one punch. In a fight where a lot of people thought he was gonna get outgunned. Where a lot of people thought he was going to get hurt.”

Max Holloway silenced a lot of critics who continued to doubt his chances at the heavier weight division. ‘Blessed’ fought at lightweight just one time before UFC 300, losing a one-sided decision to Dustin Poirier five years ago.

Holloway now has a number of options at his disposal following his showcase against fan favorite Justin Gaethje. Joe Rogan immediately praise on the Hawaiin in the aftermath of the promotions iconic pay-per-view card.

Related: UFC fighters share live reaction to Justin Gaethje’s devastating knockout loss at UFC 300

“He looked so good. But it’s all about giving Max the time to prepare for lightweight. He looked thicker, he looked denser, he put muscle on, and he prepared for a terrifying fighter. And he knew what he was going in against, and that’s what a guy like Max Holloway needs with all these years in the game.”

“We’ve got to remember [that] Max Holloway is 32, but he was in here at 20 years old. And he needs something like that for us to see how great he truly is.”

“Listen, Max Holloway is one of the greatest, if not the greatest featherweight of all time. And what you saw is that he’s one of the greatest fighters of all time, period. And he’s still 32. I think a lot of people forgot that.”

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Michael Chandler has opened up as a potential future opponent for Max Holloway’s BMF title after stating his interest on social media.

The former Bellator lightweight champion has been nothing short of thrilling since making the switch over to the UFC. Though he still has undisputed title aspirations, Chandler is the epitome of what the ‘Baddest Motherf*****’ belt stands for and wants his chance to prove that.

During a recent Q&A, Michael Chandler inserted his name into the hat to one day compete against Max Holloway for his BMF throne.

“Would I fight Max for the BMF belt? Absolutely,” Chandler told fans on Instagram. “I think it’s no coincidence now that he and I are ranked closely together in the 155 division.”

“I think Max is a real one. Max embodies the BMF. Max created the most ‘Holy sh**’ moment, the most BMF moment we have ever seen. I would love the opportunity [to fight him] down the line. Obviously, I’ve got business to take care of in 74 days.”

After months of speculation, Michael Chandler finally gets his wish and will be the man to welcome Conor McGregor back into the octagon. ‘The Notorious’ is labeling it ‘the greatest comeback in sporting history’ but Chandler intends to spoil any triumphant return with a huge performance at UFC 303 on June 29.

Related: Conor McGregor faces Michael Chandler in UFC 303 main event on June 29th

“If you guys noticed in the lightweight rankings, myself and Max Holloway in the lightweight rankings, we sure are close. There’s definitely a lot of people out there who have shared the same sentiment as I have, that I am one of the baddest dudes on the planet. I embody the BMF moniker.”

“Obviously I am focused on Conor [on] June 29 – I would love to smash Conor. I would love to fight Islam [Makhachev] or [Dustin] Poirier or [Arman] Tsarukyan. I guess not [Justin] Gaethje. Maybe not now. But whoever’s got the belt at lightweight, or I would love to fight Holloway or whoever has the BMF belt.”

Relive Max Holloway’s stunning knockout of Justin Gaethje below.

UFC 300: Justin Gaethje vs. Max Holloway Highlightshttps://t.co/uakEdDhTqD

— MMAWeekly (@MMAWeeklycom) April 15, 2024

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Former lightweight champion and top lightweight contender Charles Oliveira faced fourth-ranked Arman Tsarukyan on the UFC 300 main card on Saturday.  

In a fight that could determine the next title challenger, Oliveira entered the bout coming off an impressive TKO win over Beneil Dariush.  Tsarukyan entered the octagon at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday riding a three-fight winning streak.  He too was coming off a first-round finish over Dariush that earned him a ‘Performance of the Night’ bonus.    

They two touched gloves and Oliveira landed first with a leg kick.  Oliveira landed a leg kick as Tsarukyan was throwing on and Tsarukyan fell to the canvas.  Oliveira seized the moment and gained top position.  

Tsarukyan tried to stand but Oliveira applied a guillotine choke.  Tsarukyan defended the submission attempt but it was in deep.  Oliveira mounted Tsarukyan and connected with a solid elbow.  Midway through the opening round, Tsarukyan reversed Oliveira.  He delivered an elbow inside Oliveira’s full guard.  Oliveira went to kick Tsarukyan off him and landed an illegal kick.  The fight was briefly halted for Tsarukyan to recover.  A doctor was brought in and cleared Tsarukyan to continue.  

The fight was returned to the same position with Tsarukyan in Oliveira’s guard.  Tsarukyan delivered back to back elbows.  With seconds remaining in the ground, Oliveira got to his feet.  He delivered a knee inside the clinch before separating and that’s how the round ended.  It was a competitive first round, but MMAWeekly scored it 10-9 for Tsarukyan due to top control.  It could have went either way.    

The two hugged before the second round.  Oliveira stepped in the pocket with a stiff right hand.  Tsarukyan pressed forward but didn’t land.  Tsarukyan pulled out an axe kick that missed.  Tsarukyan ducked under a punch and looked to get the fight to the ground.  Oliveira remained standing but remained in the clinch.  Tsarukyan pulled Oliveira to the canvas with three minutes left in the frame.  

Oliveira controlled Tsarukyan’s posture and kept from absorbing much damage.  Tsarukyan delivered short punches to the body remaining active enough.  He connected with a few elbows.  He connected with a right hand.  Oliveira started to bleed.  Oliveira isolated an arm as the round ended.  MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Tsarukyan.  

Oliveira pressed forward with a flying knee that came up short.  He delivered a kick to the body of Tsarukyan.  Tsarukyan clinched and they worked for position along the cage.  Oliveira spun him around and separated.  Tsarukyan looked for a takedown but Oliveira defended the attempt.  Tsarukyan landed his jab and changed levels.  He secured a takedown at the midway mark in the frame.  

Oliveira had ahold of Tsarukyan’s neck but was forced to let it go.  Tsarukyan took Oliveira’s back.  Oliveira went to stand and gained top position.  He applied a d’arce choke.  It’s in deep but Tsarukyan held on until the end of the round.  MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Tsarukyan.  

The judges scored the fight for Tsarukyan via split decision.  The scorecards read 28-29, 29-28, and 29-28.

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A middleweight title bout between champion Alex Pereira and former titleholder Jamahal Hill headlined the historic UFC 300 fight card on Saturday.  

Pereira left the fans inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas stunned when he knocked Hill out in the opening round of his first title defense.  Seconds before the knockout, Pereira was accidentally kicked in the groin by Hill.  As referee Herb Dean attempted to check on Pereira and potentially give him time to recover, Pereira waived him off.  He then removed Hill from consciousness.  

Take a look back at the UFC 300 main event highlights.  

UFC 300: Alex Pereira vs. Jamahal Hill Highlights

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Two-time Olympic Gold medalist and former PFL champion Kayla Harrison made her octagon debut at UFC 300 against former bantamweight titleholder Holly Holm.  

Harrison thoroughly dominated Holm on her way to a second-round submission win.  The biggest battle Harrison faced was cutting the weight.  She last competed in November at 150-pounds.  

“The entire camp I was scared, not of the fight, of the weight,” Harrison said on The MMA Hour.  “I was scared.  I haven’t weighed 135 pounds since I was 16-years old.”

“I walked away from millions of dollars of pretty much guaranteed money to gamble on this.  To take a chance,” Harrison continued.  “This was my dream.  This is why I started MMA in the first place, so let’s go.  Let’s do it, but I was all in.  I didn’t know if I was going to make weight.  I can’t believe I made weight.  

With the weight cut and a debut win behind her, Harrison wants a title shot.  Holm entered UFC 300 ranked fifth.  Harrison became an instant contender with the win especially it being so one-sided. 

“I want my title next,” Harrison said in her post-fight interview with Joe Rogan.  “That’s what I came over here for.  One thing and one thing only, so I don’t care if it’s Raquel [Pennington].  I don’t care if it’s Julianna [Pena].  By the end of the year I will be UFC champion.”  

Harrison has bigger plans than just winning the UFC women’s bantamweight championship.  She has her eyes set on the women’s GOAT, Amanda Nunes.  Nunes retired and vacated the belt following her UFC 289 over Irene Aldana.  Harrison is plotting to draw her back to the cage.  

“The first one, I didn’t even know if I was going to make weight.  I didn’t know.  That was a leap of faith.  I signed that contract,” Harrison said.  “It’s all working out how it’s meant to work out.  Now I’m going to fight for a UFC title and then I’m going to draw back the GOAT and then I will be the GOAT.”    

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