Max Holloway vs. Justin Gaethje full fight video highlights

Round 1: Both men out in orthodox. Gaethje takes the center early with Max on the outside. Circling and feeling out to start. Gaethje trying to cut the cage. Swing a big right that Max ducks. But he does land a low kick.

Max very respectful of the power early. Not inviting collisions. Gaethje also taking his time and lands another low kick to the lead leg. Max’s stance is wide and he gets a jab in there. But another low kick takes the lead leg out from under Max. Right up though.

Both men coiled for bigger attacks. Left hand from Max as Gaethje misses the counter. He lands a lead left of his own a few moments later. Good stepping uppercut from Max. And a left hook as Gaethje got aggressive. Gaethje felt that one. Max sat down on it.

Low kick again for Gaethje. Gaethje’s corner wants him to slow things down. Max’s eyes are up. He’s looking for the moment and Gaethje is rushing his punches. Good right to the body from Max as Gaethje exited.

“Holl-o-way” chant from the crowd.

Gaethje can’t navigate this range well for punches. The low kicks are money, but Max is setting his distance with the boxing very well. Another kick lands though. Max being very patient here. None of his normal volume.

Sneaky uppercut just misses for Max. The tension is high. Max checks a low kick and just misses a big right. Gaethje lands a right of his own and Max circles out. Gaethje is not staying in the pocket. He steps in and slips on the canvas and Max nearly catches him with a right hand. Gaethje tries to put a stamp on it and Max’s hits a spinning body kick as Gaethje charges in.

MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9 Holloway.

Round 2: Oh wow. That spinning back kick FOR SURE broke Gaethje’s nose. It’s bleeding and definitely broken. That’s massive for Holloway. The jab is about to kill Gaethje. He’s fine to continue though but he’s touching it.

Max is going to notice this. This is bad times for Gaethje. He tries to clear his nose as this round starts. Oh hell. It’s pouring blood and his mouth is open. It’s bothering him. Max is int he driver’s seat now.

First minute is Gaethje figuring this new reality out. Max lands a good body kick but can’t get much else as Gaethje is staying clear for the time being. And now Max is checking the low kicks better.

Both men swing hard and come up with air. Welp, not air. Max gets a nasty eye poke in there and Gaethje is trying to blink it out. Break in the action and that one is three knuckles deep on the replay. Gaethje doesn’t have it in him to take the gifted no-contest though and the action resumes.

Still a slow pace in this one. Neither man getting out over their skis. Max lands to the body and kicks to the body. Gaethje not working much. Max comes up short on a 1-2. Gaethje’s offense is just so muted because of that nose right now.

Nice right from Gaethje as Max went to the body. Another collision and another eyepoke from Max in the other eye. He shakes it off and he’s ready to go but that was for sure another eye poke. Thumb deep into the right eye. But no points. Never take a point.

Gaethje lands a good low kick. Max felt that one. Gaethje lands a good left and Max a right. Low kick lands. Max trying to counter those with punches. Spinning back kick and an exchange at the end of the round.

MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9 Gaethje, 19-19 overall.

Round 3: Gaethje keeps stepping in at short time to make a statement and getting cracked because Max is there for that. Gave Gaethje the round but could be a Max round. Hard to remember all the damage what with two massive eye gouges.

Gaethje’s nose seems better. He’s bothering with it less to start this round. Max hits the body to start but eats another calf kick. Max has the center now. He’s holding that more and more. Body kick from Max that Gaethje turns off.

High kick from Gaethje gets blocked. Nice step in body kick from Max. His body work is very nice. Gaethje got a little more confidence in there now with the nose solved for the moment. And a BIG right hand from Gaethje lands but Max responds with a solid left hook.

Another low kick from Gaethje. Max lands his own. Good left hook from Gaethje. Still very measure from both men. Max lands a nice right hand. And a spin that misses. Pressure up and Gaethje fires back. Max tags him and stumbles but off balance. Gaethje returns hear and lands a nice low kick.

But the we get to space and calm down. Max’s leg is welted up but he’s moving fine on it. Another duck and another back kick from Max lands. Gaethje pressing forward now. Going classic Gaethje a little more here. Low kick keeps coming in. and now there’s a “Gae-thje” chant. But the nose bleeds again into the mouth.

Max comes in strong and Gaethje lands a big left. Max tags the body. He’s going to power through and Gaethje can’t hurt him. Body kick from Gaethje. Max misses his counter. Max’s corner doesn’t want him to brawl. Body kick. Head kick from Gaethje gets blocked before the bell.

MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9 Holloway, 29-28 Holloway overall.

Round 4: Gaethje’s corner tells him all the rounds are close but they need to win these next two. They want pressure. Max breathing heavy in the corner. Gaethje does seem fresher on the stool, but when they get to the action, Max still looks dialed in.

Gaethje tries to press right out of the gate. Max with kicks down the middle. Low kick for Gaethje. Max with front kicks to create space. Max rips to the body with a right hook. And a left kick.

Gaethje lands a nice 1-2. Gaethje gets caught ducking for a combo. Gaethje just charges in but Max evades and moves out after eating a right hand. Max in space lands a right. Then a left that gets a reaction out of Gaethje. Sniping 1-2 down the pipe lands but Max isn’t forcing the issue.

Gaethje gets one back with a right hand. Max returns fire. Gaethje low kick. Max’s leg is all chewed up but he’s still moving fine on it. Gaethje cutting the cage better now and gets a few solid shots in against the fence. Another low kick gets a reaction from Max.

Uppercut for Max lands. He’s sneaking that in nicely. Stepping knee to the body. Front kick from Gaethje. Low kick lands. He’s landing a lot of those.

OH! THEY CLINCH AND GAETHJE DROPS MAX!!! RIGHT HAND INSIDE PUT HIM ON HIS BUTT! Max is up and retreating and Gaethje is on him trying to land the big shot. Max moving well to space and angling. Great defense to work through this but that was a big moment for Gaethje!

30 seconds left and Mas his feet but he’s blinking a lot. Gaethje finding more success and he lands a mean right hand just at the end of the round.

MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9 Gaethje, 38-38 overall.

Round 5: Replay was a clean right hand to the back of the head that dropped Max. That’s a first. It’s either 2-2 or 3-1 Holloway. Big round.

Gaethje jabbing now, finally. Max lands a good body kick. Max misses a left hook but lands an uppercut after it.

OOF nasty right from Gaethje but Max lands a mean body kick as Gaethje steps in. Both men are made of strong stuff. Low kick from Gaethje. Max is really trying to set his distance but Gaethje collapsing it more now.

Good 1-2 from Max and tags the body. Low kick from Gaethje but Max SITS ON A 1-2 AND GAETHJE IS HURT!!! MAX IS ALL OVER HIM AND GAETHJE BACKS TO THE FENCE. HE SWINGS HARD IN RESPONSE! MAX GRILLING HIM AND GAETHJE JUST PUNCHES HIM RIGHT BACK!!

Max backs off. He’s not stepping into Gaethje’s world here and he does tag the body. High kick from Gaethje gets blocked. Max with another stepping right hand. Gaethje has 2 minutes to make something crazy happen.

Good lead left hand for Gaethje but Max returns. Max creating nice angles now that is making Gaethje struggle. 60 seconds left.

Another spinning back kick for Max. He clearly drilled to do that every time Gaethje ducks. And it lands. Gaethje swings hard but misses. 40 seconds.

High kick from Gaethje Max jump knee. Low kick from Gaethje. Max switches. Rolling thuinder from Gaethje. Short time and they stand and bang it out

AND OH MY GOD MAX HOLLOWAY SLEPT HIM AT THE BUZZER. FACE FIRST RIGHT HAND PUT JUSTING GAETHJE OUT OF IT AS THEY BANGED IT OUT FOR THE FINAL 10 WHAT.

MAX CALLED FOR THE STAND AND TRADE AND GAETHJE DID IT AND MAX GOT HIM FOR IT. OH MY DEAR SWEET BABY JESUS

Max Holloway def. Justin Gaethje via KO (punch) – Round 5, 4:59.