‘Coaches don’t like point-down but it makes me feel alive’

Of all the fighters to hold the UFC’s symbolic BMF title, Max Holloway stakes a claim to be the most deserving.

The commemorative belt, which symbolises the UFC’s “baddest”, has been awarded to no-nonsense fighter Jorge Masvidal and knockout artist Justin Gaethje since its induction in 2019.

Both have their share of career-defining moments in the UFC, but none quite as impactful as Holloway’s.

At the landmark UFC 300 event in 2024, Holloway pointed to the ground with 10 seconds to go, inviting Gaethje to stand and trade blows.

With both fighters swinging wildly as the crowd erupted, it was Holloway who landed the defining blow with just one second to go, causing Gaethje to fall face-down into the canvas.

“You feel like ‘oh man, this is crazy. Let’s do this, this is the shot, the chance’,” Holloway tells BBC Sport.

“Gaethje was the right place, right time. Everything lined up.

Holloway, 34, first did the point-down against Ricardo Lamas in 2016, while he repeated it against Dustin Poirier last year in becoming the first fighter to defend the BMF title.

In every fight Holloway has initiated the point-down, he has been up on the judges’ scorecards and closing in on a win, meaning he has given opponents one final opportunity to steal victory.

“My coaches aren’t a fan of it, they want me to circle away, stay away and be smart for the 10 seconds,” said Holloway.

“But they come up with great game plans and we execute it to that point. So let me have my 10 seconds of fun, you know. If I’m on the wrong end, then so be it.”

Fans imitate the gesture during meet-and-greets with Holloway, while fellow fighters have also copied it during bouts.

Charles Oliveira, who faces Holloway for the BMF title at UFC 326 in Las Vegas on Saturday, has even been filmed training for the edge-of-your-seat exchange which follows the point-down.

Holloway has created a set of rules for any fighter, including Oliveira, planning to initiate the point-down.

“If you’re winning the fight, you are the person who can call the 10 seconds. And then when you call the 10 seconds, you cannot step back, or shoot or clinch,” said Holloway.

Holloway, who was a former featherweight champion before winning the BMF belt at lightweight, is a future UFC Hall-of-Famer.

The Hawaiian holds the record for landing the most significant strikes in UFC history with 3,655 – 1,348 strikes ahead of second-placed Sean Strickland, who has 2,307.

At featherweight, Holloway holds the most wins in UFC history with 20, the most finishes with 11 and the longest win streak with 13.

In Brazil’s Oliveira, however, he is facing a fellow future Hall-of-Famer who has the most finishes in any division with 20, and the most submission wins with 17.

Holloway beat Oliveira in 2015 but is expecting a different kind of fight at the T-Mobile Arena on Saturday.

Despite everything Holloway has achieved in the UFC, he is not yet content and wants to win a world title at lightweight.

The current champion is Ilia Topuria, who beat Holloway in 2024 at featherweight, while Gaethje holds the interim title after beating Paddy Pimblett in January.

With a convincing victory over Oliveira, Holloway is targeting the winner of Topuria and Gaethje, should they fight in a unification bout later this year.

“It’s great, everything has gone great, but we’re not done yet,” added Holloway.

“I’ve got a bunch more goals I want to do. I want to become undisputed champion in another weight class. There’s very few people who have been able to do that.