Kamaru Usman supports his teammates.
When Justin Gaethje went down in the final seconds of his BMF title fight against Max Holloway at UFC 300 last weekend, it was a shocking moment and one of the most incredible finishes in MMA history. Ta. Holloway was well on his way to victory on the scorecards, but he erred on the side of caution and picked up a thrilling knockout victory.
On the “Pound 4 Pound” podcast, Usman explained what went wrong with his longtime training partner, starting with a strategic suggestion that could change the tone of the contest.
“I think where things can go sideways is making the necessary adjustments in the fight,” Usman said. “I think Justin is a really good guy, which is why he’s your favorite fighter’s favorite fighter. He loves to entertain and be like, ‘Okay, I paid money to see this type of fight. ” up to the point. I’ll fight like that. ‘ That’s the type of person he is. To what extent, I thought he could have adjusted a little more.
“He’s a wrestler. If Justin had changed levels and beat Max once or twice, this fight would have been completely different. And he can do it. He can do it 100 percent. Yo. If he changed his level and beat him once, this fight could have had a different outcome. I think it’s probably just an adjustment during the match.”
In addition to the buzzer-beating finish, there was plenty of drama early in the fight, with Holloway damaging Gaethje’s nose with a roundhouse kick at the end of the first round, followed by a couple of careless eye pokes that looked unpleasant. Ta.
Usman praised Holloway’s performance, but noted that the foul negatively affected Gaethje’s performance.
“There’s no getting around the fact that this guy, yeah, kicked him in the nose at the end of the first round, seconds left, zero time left,” Usman said. “He took a kick to the nose, which plays a huge role in the possibility of moving forward in the match, because during the match you can’t breathe the way you want to. In addition to that, the two You have to look at the eye pockets.
“Those were clear and legitimate eye pokes. It’s not like Max did it maliciously or intentionally. They happen. These are the types of things that can change the outcome of a fight.”
Usman’s podcast co-host Henry Cejudo suggested that in addition to occasionally mixing in takedowns, Gaethje should have used more fakes to close the distance. He then asked Usman if a knockout loss like the one he suffered at UFC 300 could change the trajectory of Gaethje’s career.
As long as Gaethje takes his time and returns to action, Usman isn’t worried.
“I don’t think so,” Usman said. “I think with a little bit of time, he’ll bounce back. Justin’s been here before. Eddie Alvarez. Dustin Poirier. He took the time to recover and did what he needed to do to get back on his feet. , I don’t think so. I think it’s based on him and how he wants to continue his career. But no, I don’t think it changes anything.
“As long as the fight ends, I won’t take anything away. That’s Justin Gaethje. That’s the Justin Gaethje move. That’s what BMF does. That’s where the end of that fight is, that’s what we signed up for. That’s what the title says. Am I right or wrong? That’s what the title says. “We are BMF. Let’s meet and go to the center.” , who would have expected Justin Gaethje to lose a fight like that? We’re swinging in the middle, but who would bet that Justin Gaethje would lose?”
