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Islam Makhachev is currently on a 13-fight win streak, holds the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Lightweight championship and has proven to be one of the most dominant fighters in the sport.

But, is he a big star? According to Bobby Green, he can be bigger.

“King” was asked to give his thoughts on the upcoming “BMF” title fight between Justin Gaethje vs. Max Holloway during UFC 300 Media Day earlier this week. Green was quick to give props to both men, who will collide on UFC 300’s pay-per-view (PPV) main card this weekend (Sat., April 13, 2024) inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

And he was more specific about Holloway, who loves to take risks to enhance his star power … unlike Makhachev.

“I am happy for both of those guys, those are two of my favorites, true warriors and guys that truly stand on their heels, guys that go out there and put great fights on,” Green said. “Those are brothers of the sport and I am happy for them.

“Max is a perfect example of what my code is, and that is to jump on every opportunity,” Green continued. “When you see us, we are trying to fight as much as we can. We are trying to fight all of the time and stay in front of that before our time is up. So, you have to respect that about him.”

Then Green was just shooting strays toward Makhachev … again.

“The other guys like Islam, taking their time with stuff,” Green said. “Nah, if you want to be that star, that guy, you have to go out there and take those risks. Guys like Volkanovski, another guy who goes out there and takes those risks.

“And sometimes you may come up short but f—k it, I did what you motherf—kers were too pussy to do,” Green concluded.

Holloway tends to agree.

One of the risks Green is referring to is his willingness to step in to face Makhachev on just two weeks notice back in Feb. 2022 after Beneil Dariush bowed out of the fight with an ankle injury.

Makhachev defeated “King” in the first round (video here).

The Lightweight champion hasn’t competed since he knocked out the aforementioned Volkanovski at UFC 294 in Oct. 2023 (see it again here), his second win over the former Featherweight champion. Interestingly enough, it was a big risk “The Great” took, too, replacing Charles Oliveira on short notice after he withdrew with an injury.

What say you, does Green — who will face Jim Miller at UFC 300 — have a point … or is Makhachev’s slow and steady pace a smarter approach?

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 300 fight card right RIGHT HERE, starting with the early ESPN/ESPN+ “Prelims” matches at 6 p.m. ET, followed by the remaining undercard balance on ESPN/ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET, before the UFC 300 PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV.

To check out the latest and greatest UFC 300: “Pereira vs. Hill” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive UFC 300 event archive right here. For the updated and finalized UFC 300 fight card and PPV lineup click here.

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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

Kayla Harrison is two days away from her first fight as a bantamweight, and promo photos for UFC 300 reveal her transformation.

Harrison, a multi-time PFL champ at 155 pounds, is set to face ex-champ Holly Holm in the final fight before Saturday’s pay-per-view card. A big storyline heading into the blockbuster pay-per-view is whether or not she can make weight.

The first photos of Harrison show her progress since taking on the challenge, though she has cautioned that her final push to 135 pounds will be the hardest of the journey.

Check out the images from Harrison’s UFC 300 promotional photoshoot.

Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Harrison, 33, most recently appeared in the cage in the PFL, her longtime promotional home since her move to MMA from judo, where she won two Olympic gold medals. She outpointed UFC vet Aspen Ladd, bouncing back from the first loss of her professional career, a 2022 decision setback to three-time opponent Larissa Pacheco that cost her a third PFL tournament win after twice winning the competition; she twice defeated Pacheco in earlier bouts.

Here is Harrison’s 2022 ceremonial weigh-in photo as a lightweight. She also competed once as an MMA featherweight, notching a quick win in the all-female Invicta FC promotion.

Photo by Amy Kaplan/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Here is Harrison as a featherweight.

Holm, 42, most recently appeared in the UFC this past July at UFC Vegas 77, where she suffered a submission loss to Mayra Bueno Silva. The setback was later overturned when Silva failed a post-fight drug test. Prior to that, Holm outpointed Yana Santos.

Holm is 5-6 since knocking out Ronda Rousey to win the UFC bantamweight title in 2015.

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Just a handful of days out from a spectacular UFC 300 card this weekend, former interim lightweight champion, Justin Gaethje is closing as a betting favorite to beat former undisputed featherweight kingpin, Max Holloway in the pair’s anticipated BMF championship showdown.

Gaethje, the current number two ranked lightweight contender, has been sidelined since last summer, racking up a stunning second round high-kick KO win over fellow former interim titleholder, Dustin Poirier in the pair’s massive rematch for the symbolic BMF crown.

And as for Holloway, the Hawaiin rides an impressive two-fight winning run into his return to the lightweight limit, most recently bringing the curtain down on the Hall of Fame career of Chan Sung Jung in Singapore with a thunderous, face-planting knockout. 

Justin Gaethje closing as betting favorite to win at UFC 300

Despite this, however, Max Holloway is closing as the betting underdog in his fight with Justin Gaethje this weekend at UFC 300 – to the tune of +136, with the defending symbolic titleholder a betting favorite available as high as -162.

Fans and punters alike can find a Stake.com review ahead of placing wagers and bets this weekend at UFC 300 – with the massive tentpole card set to bring some of the most high-profile gambling and betting action of the calendar year. 

Prior to his knockout victory against Lafayette striker, Poirier, lightweight title chaser, Gaethje halted the run of another formidable striker, Rafael Fiziev in a decision victory in the United Kingdom. 

And eyeing a future title fight with incumbent champion, Islam Makhachev off the back of his fight with fan-favorite slickster, Holloway this weekend, Gaethje envisioned a rather violent finish of the former in their UFC 300 clash – vowing to hopefully leave Holloway in need of a doctor’s stoppage of mercy in ‘Sin City’.

“No one steals the show quite like ‘The Highlight’,” Justin Gaethje said during the UFC 300 promotional release. “Carnage, chaos, probably some blood and adrenaline coursing through the veins, that is what you are going to get from me. My ability to create damage is second to none. Max Holloway is a legend, probably the only person on the UFC roster that checks every single box of being a BMF so I have a lot of respect for him.”

“However, this is my job and I’m going to try and f*ck him up,” Justin Gaethje explained. “I will finish Max, he may not go away the traditional way, but I think I will inflict damage to where the doctors need to stop it [the fight]. We are about to paint a violent picture and no two better guys to go out there and put on a show.”

Another eye-catching feature at UFC 300 this weekend sees both Gaethje and Holloway land their respective custom fight shorts for their massive clash.

For defending BMF kingpin, Gaethje, the Arizonian will don a pair of long black board shorts – spotted with a series of grey-colored stars, resembling the United States flag

However, stealing the fashion side of the occasion in the eyes of many fans and pundits, Holloway helped design a pair of white, vale tudo compression shorts, accompanied by floral designs of red and blue.

Who wins at UFC 300 this weekend: Justin Gaethje or Max Holloway?

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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

In the third episode of UFC 300 Embedded, Alex Pereira teaches Nina Drama his left hook, Diego Lopes shops for press conference clothes, Max Holloway tours Allegiant Stadium, Kayla Harrison and Bo Nickal get in some mat work, and more.

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