Morning Report: Justin Gaethje has no regrets taking Max Holloway fight: ‘It was a huge risk, I failed’

Justin Gaethje went out on his defend at UFC 300.

We bought what we requested for and anticipated within the third BMF title bout in UFC historical past. Gaethje and Max Holloway may battle it out for 25 minutes with a broomstick and make it entertaining. Towards one another, the world witnessed an iconic conflict, principally due to Holloway’s maddening last-second knockout of “The Spotlight” on the 24:59 mark.

The BMF tilt unsurprisingly received Combat of the Evening honors and can absolutely be on many’s shortlist for Combat of the Yr come 2024’s finish. Holloway additionally earned a Efficiency of the Evening bonus on prime of the previous, giving him $600,000 general in bonus cash. It was a plan-spoiling effort from “Blessed,” who will get to do primarily no matter he pleases subsequent, and rightfully so. As for Gaethje, the undisputed title shot he was ready for must be re-earned with some extra victories, and regardless of this latest matchup being principally to remain busy and entertain, he’s joyful he took it.

“[It’s a] loopy recreation, you understand?” Gaethje instructed MMA Knockout. “I feel lots of people in my place would have set out not taking [the Holloway fight]. I’ve no regrets. I feel it was — I had a lot enjoyable I feel it was such an enormous historic card for the UFC. And to be part of that, to be the perfect struggle on that card is gonna stay on without end.

“And once more, it was an enormous threat, I failed, and if I might have received that struggle, if I’d bought a fast knockout, I might have been taking that struggle [against Islam Makhachev], however it’s simply the secret.”

A surefire next-lightweight title challenger was anticipated to emerge from UFC 300 and so they did. Nonetheless, it wasn’t the large winners Holloway or Arman Tsarukyan, however two-time undisputed title challenger and rival of Gaethje’s, Dustin Poirier. UFC CEO Dana White introduced the champion Makhachev will defend towards Poirier in UFC 302’s essential occasion on June 1.

Gaethje, 35, received the BMF title with a second-round head-kick knockout of Poirier of their rematch at UFC 291 in July 2023. Though “The Diamond” has solely received one struggle since then, defeating Benoit Saint Denis by way of second-round knockout at UFC 299, Gaethje is glad to see issues work out this fashion if he wasn’t the one difficult Makhachev.

“I’m joyful for Dustin,” Gaethje stated. “Good for him. Anyone needed to struggle. I feel it doesn’t matter what we’re gonna lose. He (Makhachev) was going to be early, it was gonna be just about unattainable [to make that fight in 5-6 weeks turnaround].

“That is the best way that UFC wished to go. So I assume, you understand, I can’t complain about it as a result of I don’t need to sound like — I actually haven’t any complaints as a result of it’s what it’s. I’m not gonna let it eat me up.”

As he deactivates struggle mode, relaxation and restoration are the rapid plans for Gaethje. The now-former BMF champion has famously stated he solely has a handful of wars left in him forward of this struggle earlier than sufficient was sufficient. So, will there even be a “what’s subsequent”?

It’s too early to call names or have expectations. One factor is for certain: We haven’t seen the final of one among MMA’s all-time entertainers, if not the all-time entertainer.

“I imply, [it] was actually a battle,” Gaethje stated. “Actually the definition of a battle, particularly getting put to sleep like that. That undoubtedly counted as one. Yeah, however I’m not executed. I’m gonna struggle sooner or later — and that’s the one means that I struggle.

“Even when I wished to alter how I struggle, it’s actually not attainable. That’s how I compete. It’s how I’ve competed since I used to be a child. So, the subsequent time I step in there, you understand, the perfect stay present on Earth. We’ll see if I’ve nearly as good a dance companion as I had this final weekend. However yeah, my intentions would be the similar.”

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Spectacular. ‘Greatest troll job ever’: Fighters react to Ryan Garcia’s beautiful upset of Devin Haney

Consequence. Ryan Garcia scores 3 brutal knockdowns, wins shocking upset of Devin Haney

Predictions. Henry Cejudo, Kamaru Usman debate how many fights Bo Nickal is from UFC title

Matchmaking. Diego Lopes argues for Movsar Evloev rematch on Worldwide Combat Week: ‘That’s the fight to make’

Rivals. Belal Muhammad blames Leon Edwards for title struggle delay: ‘It’s fueling me with hatred for this guy’

Choices. Aljamain Sterling to Max Holloway after legendary knockout: ‘Stay your ass at 155!’

Controversy. Yan Xiaonan on surviving UFC 300 choke: ‘If you give Weili 10 more seconds, I am definitely completely out’

That is CineMMA: Blood And Bone.

Ryan Garcia Submit-Combat Presser.

UFC 300 Sluggish-Mo.

Mic-Gregor.

“Prompt traditional.”

Free fights.

RIZIN Confessions 147 and 148.

PFL Chicago highlights.

Deep 119 Impression trailer.

Aspinall in New York.

Bo’s 300 BTS.

Strongman Arnold.

Kelvin at Bangtao.

Anatomy of Garcia-Haney.

Rankings Present. MMA Fighting’s Alex K. Lee, Jed Meshew, and Damon Martin talk about the contenders and pretenders from UFC 300, plus did Max Holloway ship the good MMA second ever?

Me attempting to remain optimistic concerning the MMA schedule post-UFC 300.

Shouts at this time to Morning Report reader ChadItUp for this elegant person submission tune to get your week began.

Go to Twitter, use the #MorningReport hashtag, or discover one among my tweets with it, and drop me a jam you’re at present actually into. I’ll decide the perfect one alongside my every day alternative and offer you a shoutout! You may also share within the feedback beneath — these are simply tougher to sift via generally!

Godspeed and celebration on.

Bodily.

Celebration.

Chaos continues.

Unimaginable.

Again within the win column.

Trio.

Runs within the household.

The Bispings.

Wrestlers unite!

Lol.

Holy.

Rattling.

Former champ and future champ…?

Kickin it.

Certainly.

Cédric Doumbé (5-1) vs. Derek Anderson (17-4, 1 NC); Bellator Paris, Could 17

Alatengheili (16-9-2) vs. Kleydson Rodrigues (8-3); UFC Vegas 92, Could 18

Kyoji Horiguchi (32-5) vs. Sergio Pettis (23-6); RIZIN 47, June 9

Kleber Koike (32-7-1) vs. Juan Archuleta (29-5); RIZIN 47, June 9

Asu Almabayev (19-2) vs. José Johnson (16-8); UFC Vegas 93, June 15

Jamahal Hill (12-2) vs. Khalil Rountree Jr. (13-5); UFC 303, June 29

Gabriel Bonfim (15-1) vs. Ange Loosa (10-3, 1 NC); UFC Combat Evening, July 13

Loik Radzhabov (18-5-1) vs. Trey Ogden (17-6); UFC Vegas 94, July 20

I’m pleasantly stunned to see how fantastic I might be with any choices for Gaethje subsequent. I suppose that’s principally a testomony to him being enjoyable it doesn’t matter what, however all of them look fantastic to me, for essentially the most half.

Thanks for studying!

Final Week’s Outcomes:

Friday: 78% of 377 complete votes answered “Sure” when requested, “Will Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway happen next for each?”

Thursday: 39% of 571 complete votes answered “Islam Makhachev vs. Dustin Poirier” when requested, “Which of the three recently announced big upcoming UFC fights are you most looking forward to?”

Wednesday: 68% of 664 complete votes answered “Ilia Topuria” when requested, “Who should Max Holloway fight next?”

Tuesday: 77% of 490 complete votes answered “Sure” when requested, “Is Colby Covington vs. Ian Machado Garry a good co-main event for UFC 303?”

Monday: 40% of 571 complete votes answered “High 3” when requested, “Where does UFC 300 rank amongst all-time UFC events?”

At this time’s exit ballot:

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