One of the best fights Dana White has ever seen took place four years ago today.

Max Holloway’s UFC résumé is not short on memorable moments and all-time classics, but not much can top his main event at the Apex on this day, November 13, in 2021.

UFC Vegas 42 tied the promotional record for most knockouts at a single event with eight. The likes of Song Yadong, Khaos Williams, and Joel Alvarez all stopped their fights inside the distance.

The featherweight main event did not need a finish to steal the show, however, as Holloway went to war with a returning star who was making his first appearance in over two years.

Max Holloway and Yair Rodriguez put on an incredible five-round UFC Vegas 42 main event

UFC Vegas 42 concluded with a barnburner between Holloway and Yair Rodriguez, as the pair vied for a shot at Alexander Volkanovski’s featherweight title the following year.

For ‘El Pantera’, the main event marked his first outing inside the Octagon in 25 months. Rodriguez had not competed since a Fight of the Night victory over Jeremy Stephens in their immediate rematch in October 2019.

Rodriguez ensured he would walk away with another additional $50,000 check after playing his part in an incredible back-and-forth contest with Holloway.

While it was the legendary ex-champion who had his hand raised courtesy of the scorecards, the Mexican star’s stock certainly did not drop in defeat.

In fact, UFC president Dana White credited Rodriguez for doing something “unheard of” during his post-fight press conference.

“Insane. One of the best fights I’ve ever seen,” White said.

“The fact that Yair was off for nearly two years and comes in and puts on a performance like this is unheard of.

“It’s one of those things – it was razor thin, [Holloway] just comes in and puts on a performance like this,” he added.

Yair Rodriguez defied Islam Makhachev’s prediction by going the distance with Max Holloway

It wasn’t just White who was impressed and shocked by Rodriguez’s performance in the UFC Vegas 42 main event. The Mexican’s performance also went above and beyond what Islam Makhachev was expecting.

The then-future lightweight king, who will return this Saturday to headline UFC 322 at Madison Square Garden, predicted a finish for Holloway.

In a social media post, Makhachev suggested that the Hawaiian fan favorite would get things done without requiring a fifth and final round.

“Max inside 4 rounds,” Makhachev wrote on X.

Rodriguez went on to win his next two fights, including an interim featherweight title win over Josh Emmett in February 2023.