Daniel Cormier believes Charles Oliveira's commanding victory over Max Holloway is the reason Oliveira was passed over for a fight with Conor McGregor. According to Cormier, the performance made the matchup commercially less attractive or logistically complicated for the McGregor side.
Former two-division UFC champion Daniel Cormier has suggested that Charles Oliveira's dominant performance against Max Holloway is what ultimately cost the Brazilian a high-profile matchup with Conor McGregor.
Cormier argued that Oliveira's commanding victory over Holloway made the potential fight against McGregor commercially less attractive or logistically more complicated from McGregor's side. In short, Oliveira may have performed too well for his own financial benefit.
Charles Oliveira, 36, carries a professional record of 37-11-0 and currently sits third in the UFC lightweight rankings, with an 11th-place position on the pound-for-pound list. The Brazilian fighter out of Chute Boxe Diego Lima is one of the most technically dangerous lightweights in the world, averaging 3.35 significant strikes per minute at a 54 percent accuracy rate while also posing a constant grappling threat with 2.22 takedowns and 2.6 submission attempts per 15 minutes.
Max Holloway, the man Oliveira defeated, enters the lightweight division's top five at number four and sits ninth pound-for-pound. The 34-year-old Hawaiian is one of MMA's most prolific volume strikers, landing 7.2 significant strikes per minute. His record stands at 27-9-0, and his willingness to engage makes every performance a memorable one regardless of the outcome.
Cormier himself compiled a 22-3-0 record across a decorated career before transitioning to commentary and analysis, giving his perspective on matchmaking and fighter positioning considerable weight in MMA circles.
Why it matters
- Oliveira's dominant showing placed him firmly at the top of a stacked lightweight division, making him a difficult sell for a promotional fight with McGregor
- The situation highlights a recurring tension in MMA: elite performance does not always translate into the biggest commercial opportunities
- With Oliveira at number three and Holloway at number four, the lightweight title picture remains genuinely competitive regardless of how promotional matchmaking unfolds
