Kamaru Usman has voiced his perspective on the controversial BMF title fight between Max Holloway and Justin Gaethje at UFC 300, highlighting the significant impact of two eye pokes on the outcome.
Holloway clinched the title with a knockout victory in the fifth round, but the win was marred by instances that Usman believes affected the fight’s trajectory.
Usman points out the Challenges Gaethje Faced
In a detailed discussion on the Pound 4 Pound podcast hosted by Henry Cejudo, Usman pointed out the challenges Gaethje faced following an initial kick to the nose and subsequent eye pokes by Holloway. Usman elaborated:
“Henry, we can’t shy away from the fact that this man took that kick to the nose at the end of the first round… Which plays a huge part in potentially moving on in the fight because now you can’t breathe the way you want to breathe in that fight. On top of that, we have to see the two eye pokes.”
He continued to explain, “They were clear-cut legit eye pokes. It wasn’t that Max was doing it maliciously or on purpose, they happen. These are the type of things that can alter the outcome of the fight.”
I’ve watched this 100 times, and will keep watching🤯 pic.twitter.com/Do06DOD7JT
— UFC Alien👽 (@UfcAlien) April 15, 2024
Meanwhile, former UFC champion Michael Bisping provided his own take on the BMF title bout, suggesting that Gaethje’s overconfidence might have been his downfall. Speaking with TNT Sport after the fight, Bisping analyzed Gaethje’s approach and its consequences, stating:
“I think he [Gaethje] was a victim of his own success. Knocking out Dustin Poirier the way that he did and everybody riding the coattails and being a fan, for obvious reasons… He thought he was going to go right through Max Holloway… He was swinging with everything he had… You know, he learned a very, very valuable lesson… He was the next contender for Islam Makhachev… That just went up in flames.”
Both Usman and Bisping’s comments highlight different aspects of the fight, from the physical setbacks caused by fouls to the psychological factors influencing performance, offering a nuanced view of a highly anticipated matchup that lived up to its billing despite the controversies.
