Justin Gaethje’s parents were in the crowd when he suffered what many are calling the most brutal knockout in UFC history.
Stepping into the Octagon at UFC 300 to defend his BMF belt against former featherweight world champion Max Holloway, Gaethje suffered some early adversity after his nose was broken courtesy of a brilliantly-timed spinning back kick from Holloway.
Despite the early injury, Gaethje put his best foot forward and hung with one of the greatest strikers in MM history. With 10 seconds to go in the contest, Holloway called for the two men to stand in the center and throw hands until the final horn. Gaethje obliged, throwing caution to the wind and going toe-to-toe with ‘Blessed’ in the proverbial phone booth.
Moments later, ‘The Highlight’ would become exactly that.
With one second left on the clock, Holloway unleashed a booming overhand right that connected clean and sent Gaethje crashing to the canvas. It was undoubtedly one of the most spectacular, yet scariest knockouts in UFC history.
As it turns out, Gaethje’s parents were sitting in the second row, directly behind Tim Welch, coach to bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley, and current middleweight titleholder Dricus Du Plessis. Needless to say, the footage of their reactions may be a bit unsettling, particularly for those who have children themselves.
MMA Fans react to footage of Justin Gaethje’s parents at UFC 300
UFC fans were quick to comment on the video, many of them empathizing with Gaethje’s parents. Others were downright disgusted that the footage was not only shot but also released.