"Could be a little overconfident" - Sean O'Malley weighs in on UFC 300 showdown between Justin Gaethje and Max Holloway

UFC 300's most high-profile bout thus far is Justin Gaethje vs. Max Holloway. Ahead of the fight, UFC 299 headliner Sean O'Malley offered his thoughts on how Holloway and Gaethje match up with each other. He recognized both fighter's respective skill sets but refused to definitively pick one over the other.

Specifically, he highlighted the greatest difference between both men: punching power. Holloway styles himself far more as a volume puncher who drowns his opponents under an avalanche of strikes. Unfortunately, he can be interrupted by a counterpunch backed by significant power.

Still, on episode #271 of the TimboSugarShow podcast, O'Malley pointed out that Gaethje would be foolish to underestimate Holloway.

"Holloway just didn't have the... He was cracking him but he couldn't drop him. Dustin hurt him. You just never know. You never f***ing know. Justin could be a little overconfident, Max could be like, 'This is a scary fight' and he could train harder than he ever has. Who knows? We just never know, which is fun."

Check out Sean O'Malley discussing the BMF title fight below (17:23):

While many are predicting Gaethje to emerge victorious at UFC 300 and retain his BMF championship due to the massive punching power differential between him and Holloway, the Hawaiian great holds advantages of his own. Holloway is known for having a bottomless gas tank.

Meanwhile, Gaethje does not have the best cardio, and he can tire rapidly if his opponent doesn't allow him to dictate the terms of engagement and the pace of the bout. In a five-round fight, he could outpace 'The Highlight,' lest his legendary chin finally crack.

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UFC 300 is still without a main event

Despite being the UFC's marquee event for 2024, UFC 300 remains devoid of a headline bout. Many hope that the promotion will, as expected, book pay-per-view superstar Conor McGregor into the headliner, against either Michael Chandler or Nate Diaz. However, Israel Adesanya has also thrown his name into the hat.

Given Dricus du Plessis' recent middleweight title triumph and immediate callout of Adesanya, 'The Last Stylebender' seems to be primed for a title fight. Whether it takes place at UFC 300, however, is only speculation, especially as his current injury drastically undercuts his preparation time.