Charles Oliveira opened up about his upcoming BMF title showdown with Max Holloway at UFC 326. Oliveira shared how far he and Holloway have come since their first encounter.
‘Blessed’ and ‘Do Bronx’ first competed against each other in the main event of UFC Fight Night 74 in 2015. That fight ended abruptly at 1:39 of the 1st round after Oliveira suffered an injury. Since then, both fighters have expressed interest in a potential rematch.
Now back in the same division again and firmly in the title picture, the two will face off once again. This time, a title will be at stake, as Holloway puts his BMF title on the line.
Oliveira and Holloway have both achieved plenty of success since their first bout. ‘Do Bronx’ won the lightweight championship and successfully defended it twice. ‘Blessed,’ meanwhile, won the featherweight championship, defended it three times, and later knocked out Justin Gaethje to capture the BMF title.
Charles Oliveira Discusses BMF Title Fight Against Max Holloway
Charles Oliveira shared his thoughts on both his own growth and Max Holloway’s development since their first meeting. Oliveira noted that both fighters are better than they were in 2015 and have established themselves among the sport’s elite.
‘Do Bronx’ said he holds no animosity toward Holloway and holds his opponent in high regard.
“Both of us have evolved a lot. [Holloway’s] the BMF champion, and not long ago, he was champion in the division below,” Oliveira told Heavy Sports via CasinoBeats. “He’s grown massively and deserves to be among the best in the world.”
Oliveira enters the fight coming off an impressive 2nd round submission victory over Mateusz Gamrot at UFC Fight Night 261. Meanwhile, Holloway is coming off his unanimous decision win over Dustin Poirier at UFC 318.
That win marked Holloway’s first successful BMF title defense, making him the first BMF champion to do so. The bout also marked Poirier’s final fight, as he officially retired afterward.
Oliveira Shares His Plans if He Captures the BMF Title
Oliveira also shared his future plans should he emerge victorious at UFC 326 and capture the BMF title.
Although the fight will be contested at lightweight, the BMF title is not exclusive to any single division. The title originated from a welterweight bout between Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz.
Masvidal won, but he never defended it before eventually retiring. The title returned for a lightweight clash between Poirier and Justin Gaethje, with ‘The Highlight’ earning a knockout win.
At UFC 300, Holloway moved up to lightweight to challenge Gaethje and captured the title following an incredible 5th round knockout. If Oliveira dethrones ‘Blessed,’ several intriguing BMF title matchups could await him at welterweight.
Last year, Oliveira acknowledged that he would be open to competing at welterweight, making the BMF title a possible pathway. However, his sole focus is on reclaiming the lightweight championship rather than moving up to 170 pounds.
“Right now, my full focus is on the lightweight belt,” Oliveira told Heavy Sports via CasinoBeats. “If I win [the BMF title], I’d defend it, but my main goal is the [lightweight] division’s main title.”
Charles Oliveira Discusses BMF Title Fight vs. Max Holloway at UFC 326