Max Holloway could have fought Justin Gaethje outside the UFC if he wasn’t released from contract

Max Holloway’s profession could have taken a really different route because of him signing to what’s now the PFL.

In 2024, Holloway knocked out Justin Gaethje in the ultimate second of their BMF title fight to supply one of the crucial immediately iconic moments in MMA history.

Each men’s reputations for putting on great fights meant that this matchup was guaranteed to deliver some highlights at UFC 300.

While Gaethje is glad that this happened due to what it’s meant for his profession, we could have seen these two legends meet at a much earlier stage.

What’s one of the best knockout in MMA history?

Max Holloway was signed to WSOF before being granted his release and Justin Gaethje signing to the promotion

In 2012, Max Holloway was submitted by Dustin Poirier in his UFC debut that got here just five fights into his skilled profession.

‘Blessed’ recently explained that his long tenure with the game’s leading promotion nearly didn’t start as early because of him signing to The World Series of Fighting (WSOF) before it was later rebranded as PFL.

“Not many individuals know I ended up signing with PFL,” he said in a UFC interview. “I used to be presupposed to be of their first ever ’55 (lightweight) tournament however the dates just kept getting pushed back.”

Holloway recalled that issues with him getting sponsors led to his debut being postponed before his manager called to say the UFC was eager about signing him.

“I told him, ‘I don’t even need to know anybody yet. I’m in a f—— contract with PFL, you guys got to get me out of that rattling contract first after which we are able to go from there’.”

The previous UFC featherweight and BMF champion said that he was only in a position to make the switch to the UFC because of WSOF President Ray Sefo being a fan of his and letting him out of his contract.

Had Holloway remained with WSOF, he could’ve come into contact with none apart from Justin Gaethje.

After increase a 7-0 run in various promotions, ‘The Highlight’ competed at WSOF 2 in 2013, the 12 months after Holloway made his UFC debut.

The American would remain within the WSOF until he signed to the UFC in 2017, with Gaethje putting on wars against the likes of Luis Palomino during his lightweight title run.

In ten fights with the promotion, the present UFC lightweight champion went the space only once before arriving within the Octagon with a 17-0 record.