This Saturday evening, at UFC 326, the BMF championship strap will be contested. Charles Oliveira is set to take on the reigning champion, Max Holloway, in the evening’s headlining bout.
Holloway aims for his second retention of this honorary championship, having defeated Dustin Poirier by a consensus verdict in his most recent contest back in July. Conversely, Oliveira has suffered defeats in three of his previous six encounters, but he now aims to initiate a new series of victories after overcoming Mateusz Gamrot with a tap-out in the second round during his last performance in the cage in October.
A select group of four experts, comprising ex-combatants, coaches, and commentators, now provide their predictions and perspectives for the UFC 326 headlining bout.
BMF championship clash
Specialist views
Predicting this challenging bout is tough, but I’m favoring my friend Max. I believe Max will dominate Oliveira in striking exchanges and might even secure a technical knockout. While I’m unsure if Max will render him unconscious, a TKO is certainly a possibility. Charles will likely find it difficult to maintain control over Max on the ground, and Max will simply dismantle him with strikes during stand-up encounters. — Dustin Poirier
I must side with Max for this contest. Throughout his career, Max has evolved into a much more astute combatant. I also believe 155 pounds represents the optimal division for him. His agility will prove to be the crucial element against Oliveira, enabling him to evade Charles’s strikes and grappling attempts. Eventually, he’ll initiate his offensive output. Once Max builds impetus, very few opponents are capable of recovering. — Din Thomas
Currently, few individuals would I favor against Holloway in a bout. He’s simply exceptionally skilled; therefore, unless it’s Ilia Topuria, I wouldn’t select anyone over Max. In fact, I believe Max possesses superior abilities compared to Topuria, but Topuria does wield formidable knockout capability. Thus, I’m not considering that Topuria outcome [a KO loss in 2024] a mark against Max. For his contest against Oliveira, Holloway exhibits outstanding grappling evasion and possesses one of the most acute strategic minds in the sport. Anticipate him to steer clear of situations where Oliveira is most effective and dismantle Oliveira with precision strikes from a distance. — Anthony Smith
This contest truly embodies the essence of being a BMF. I appreciate return bouts and unresolved rivalries. For Charles to achieve victory, I believe he must inflict significant damage on Max or secure a grapple, yet Max is a difficult opponent to bring to the mat. His impressive agility and suitable physique for the 155-pound category are remarkable. He further utilizes his footwork to extend his effective striking distance, which explains his tendency to alternate his fighting posture. Considering Max’s extensive arm span, seamless movement, and high output striking, Charles will likely need to cause him harm to transition the fight to the canvas. Should they remain engaged in stand-up exchanges, this matchup will undoubtedly be a dominant performance for Max against Charles’s elevated defensive posture. — Michael Chiesa