Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira are set to rematch at UFC 326 for the BMF title that Holloway won via last-second knockout over Justin Gaethje at UFC 300. The pairing follows Gaethje's interim lightweight title win at UFC 324, dropping both Oliveira (#3 LW) and Holloway (#4 LW) in rankings. This high-stakes clash revives their history while Holloway defends BMF honors. It strengthens the lightweight division's depth amid Ilia Topuria's reign and Gaethje's #1 contender status. Expect intense striking exchanges; winner bolsters title contention path.
Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira will collide in a BMF title rematch at UFC 326, with Holloway putting the belt on the line against the Brazilian veteran.
Holloway, 34, enters as the reigning BMF champion after delivering one of the most dramatic finishes in recent memory — a last-second knockout of Justin Gaethje at UFC 300. The Hawaiian, now 27-9 and ranked fourth at lightweight, is one of the most active strikers in the sport, landing 7.2 significant strikes per minute with a career accuracy of 48 percent. Fighting out of Gracie Technics, the five-foot-eleven southpaw carries a 69-inch reach into the matchup.
Oliveira, ranked third at lightweight and 11th pound-for-pound, brings a 37-11 record and the most complete skill set in the division. The 36-year-old from Brazil trains out of Chute Boxe Diego Lima and operates at 3.35 significant strikes per minute, supplemented by a dangerous submission game averaging 2.6 attempts per 15 minutes and 2.22 takedowns in the same window. His five-foot-ten frame comes with a 74-inch reach, giving him a notable length advantage over Holloway.
The rematch carries added meaning given the shifting landscape at 155 pounds. Gaethje, now the interim lightweight champion at 28-5, earned the number-one contender position following his UFC 324 performance that pushed both men down the divisional ladder.
Why it matters
- Holloway defends the BMF title for the first time, adding another layer of prestige to the matchup
- The winner strengthens their case as the lead challenger behind Gaethje in a stacked lightweight division
- Stylistically, Holloway's elite volume striking meets Oliveira's multi-dimensional finishing ability across all three phases
- A victory for either man repositions them directly in the championship conversation under Ilia Topuria's reign
