Introduction
UFC 300 took place on Saturday, April 13, 2024 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas — the UFC's landmark 300th numbered PPV event. The promotion assembled the deepest card in its history: a light heavyweight title fight, a BMF belt fight, a strawweight title fight, and multiple top-five contender bouts across the card. It produced an estimated 1.2 million pay-per-view buys — the highest UFC PPV since Khabib vs. McGregor at UFC 229 in 2018.
The card produced what is widely considered the single greatest moment in UFC history: Max Holloway knocking out Justin Gaethje with the last punch of round five, at 4:59 of the fifth round, while standing still and inviting Gaethje to punch him. The “do not blink” sequence became the most replayed UFC moment of 2024.
Alex Pereira retained the light heavyweight title by TKO of Jamahal Hill at 3:30 of round one. Zhang Weili defended the strawweight title against Yan Xiaonan via unanimous decision. Arman Tsarukyan defeated Charles Oliveira via unanimous decision in a lightweight contender bout.
Contents
• Introduction
• Quick Stats
• The Build-Up
• Main Event
• Co-Main Event
• Full Results
• Bonuses & Awards
• Records & Milestones
• Legacy & Impact
• FAQ
• References
Quick Stats
📅 Date: Saturday, April 13, 2024
📍 Venue: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
👥 Attendance: 20,171 (full capacity)
💰 Gate: $17.4 million (highest UFC gate since UFC 229)
📺 PPV Buys: ~1,200,000 (highest since Khabib vs. McGregor at UFC 229 in 2018)
🏆 Main Event: Alex Pereira (c) vs. Jamahal Hill — UFC Light Heavyweight Championship (205 lbs)
✅ Result: Pereira def. Hill via TKO (punches) — R1, 3:30
🥇 Co-Main: Max Holloway def. Justin Gaethje via KO (punch) — R5, 4:59 — BMF Title
The Build-Up
The UFC had been building toward its 300th numbered PPV since 2022. Alex Pereira defended the light heavyweight title against Jamahal Hill — the man who had held the belt before vacating due to injury, and whose recovery earned him a title shot within a year.
The co-main was Max Holloway vs. Justin Gaethje for the BMF belt. Gaethje had won the belt at UFC 291; Holloway was the former featherweight champion, a fan favourite, and the most-beloved non-champion fighter on the UFC roster.
The undercard featured Zhang Weili defending the strawweight title, Jiri Prochazka vs. Aleksandar Rakic, Arman Tsarukyan vs. Charles Oliveira, Bo Nickal vs. Cody Brundage, and Calvin Kattar vs. Aljamain Sterling — the deepest UFC undercard of the modern era.
Main Event: Pereira vs. Hill
Alex Pereira retained the light heavyweight title in 3:30 of round one. Hill pressed forward with his jab in the first minute; Pereira countered with his right hand twice. At 2:45, Pereira landed a clean left hook that wobbled Hill against the cage. He pressed with sustained body-head combinations; a right hand at 3:15 dropped Hill. Follow-up ground strikes brought referee Keith Peterson in at 3:30.
The TKO was Pereira's most clinical UFC finish. He would defend again against Prochazka 2 at UFC 303 in June 2024 (KO R2) and Rountree at UFC 307 (TKO R4) before losing the title to Ankalaev at UFC 313.
Co-Main Event: Holloway vs. Gaethje — The Last Second
The fight went five rounds of elite lightweight striking. Gaethje won rounds one and two on forward pressure and body shots; Holloway won rounds three and four on volume and counter-striking. Round five was the decider. With one second left, Holloway stood in the center of the cage, hands at his sides, and invited Gaethje to punch him. Gaethje threw — Holloway parried — Holloway landed a clean right hand at 4:59 that dropped Gaethje. The buzzer sounded. Referee Herb Dean stopped the fight.
Max Holloway was the BMF champion. The finish became the most replayed UFC moment of 2024 and is widely identified as the single greatest in UFC history.
Full Results
Main Card (Pay-Per-View)
Alex Pereira (c) def. Jamahal Hill — TKO (punches) — R1, 3:30 — Light Heavyweight Title
Max Holloway def. Justin Gaethje — KO (punch) — R5, 4:59 — BMF Title
Arman Tsarukyan def. Charles Oliveira — Unanimous Decision (29-28 ×3) — Lightweight
Jiri Prochazka def. Aleksandar Rakic — Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) — Light Heavyweight
Bo Nickal def. Cody Brundage — TKO (punches) — R1, 2:37 — Middleweight
Preliminary Card (ESPN/ESPN+)
Zhang Weili (c) def. Yan Xiaonan — Unanimous Decision (50-45, 50-45, 49-46) — Strawweight Title
Aljamain Sterling def. Calvin Kattar — Unanimous Decision (29-28 ×3) — Featherweight
Renato Moicano def. Jalin Turner — Unanimous Decision (30-27 ×3) — Lightweight
Kayla Harrison def. Holly Holm — Unanimous Decision (29-28 ×3) — Women's Bantamweight
Bonuses & Awards
🥇 Performance of the Night: Max Holloway — $50,000 for the 4:59 R5 KO of Justin Gaethje — the single greatest finish in UFC history.
🥇 Performance of the Night: Alex Pereira — $50,000 for the first-round TKO of Jamahal Hill.
🥇 Performance of the Night: Arman Tsarukyan — $50,000 for the unanimous-decision win over Charles Oliveira.
Records & Milestones
• Holloway KO at 4:59 R5 — with one second remaining, the most iconic finish in UFC history.
• 1.2 million estimated PPV buys — the highest UFC PPV number since Khabib vs. McGregor at UFC 229 in 2018.
• $17.4 million gate — the highest UFC gate since UFC 229.
• Pereira's fourth consecutive UFC title-fight finish — the most clinical title-defense streak in the modern era.
• UFC 300 — widely identified as the greatest MMA event ever assembled, with six legitimate title-fight-level bouts across the card.
Legacy & Impact
UFC 300 is the most celebrated event in UFC history. The Holloway 4:59 finish is the single moment that defines the night — a masterpiece of confidence, timing, and MMA artistry. It elevated Max Holloway's legacy from 'great featherweight champion' to 'one of the greatest MMA fighters who ever lived.'
For Alex Pereira, the Hill KO was his most clinical title defense and the high-water mark of his light heavyweight reign. He defended twice more (Prochazka 2, Rountree) before losing the title to Ankalaev at UFC 313 in March 2025. For the UFC as a promotion, the 1.2 million PPV buys and $17.4 million gate confirmed the depth of the talent roster could drive historic buy rates without a McGregor or Rousey-level star.
FAQ
What exactly happened at 4:59 of round five?
With approximately three seconds left in round five, Holloway stood in the center of the cage and dropped his hands to his sides — a deliberate invitation for Gaethje to hit him. Gaethje threw; Holloway parried; Holloway landed a clean right hand that dropped Gaethje at 4:59. The buzzer sounded immediately. Referee Herb Dean stopped the fight. The sequence produced the loudest post-fight crowd reaction in modern UFC history.
Is the Holloway KO actually the greatest moment in UFC history?
By community consensus in 2024-2025, yes. Round five of a hard fight, one second remaining, the fighter deliberately drops his hands and invites punishment, parries the punch, lands the finisher at the buzzer. Each individual element would be remarkable alone. Combined in sequence, no UFC moment matches it.
How does UFC 300 compare to UFC 299?
UFC 300 drew approximately 1,200,000 PPV buys versus UFC 299 (650,000) five weeks earlier — nearly double. The jump reflects the 300th event branding, the unprecedented card depth, and the Holloway-Gaethje BMF belt co-main generating mainstream crossover interest.
References
UFC 300: Pereira vs. Hill — Wikipedia