The BMF title main event at UFC 326 had all the ingredients of an instant classic, as Charles Oliveira and Max Holloway renewed their rivalry in a rematch a decade in the making. Instead, the five-round contest drew criticism from fans who expected a high-paced striking battle but were left disappointed by the lack of prolonged stand-up exchanges and highlight-reel moments typically associated with the symbolic belt.
Staying true to his strengths, Oliveira implemented a dominant grappling-heavy game plan, securing five takedowns and controlling nearly 21 minutes of the fight on the mat. His elite Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and constant submission threat neutralized Holloway’s trademark volume striking in a way few opponents have managed.
While it was a tactical masterclass from the Brazilian, many felt the performance did not embody the free-flowing, stand-and-trade spirit that has come to define the BMF championship. The performance drew criticism from several prominent names, including Nate Diaz, Conor McGregor, and Khamzat Chimaev, who argued that the fight strayed from the identity fans have come to expect from the BMF title.
Holloway, however, believes Oliveira should not shoulder the blame. Instead, the former champion largely defended his opponent, saying Oliveira simply did what was necessary to secure the victory.
Speaking to ESPN ahead of his UFC 329 rematch with Conor McGregor, Holloway said, “To just put it plain and simple, I’m not a complainer, so I’m not going to complain. And at the end of the day, everybody keeps talking about, ‘How you feel,’ because around the BMF belt, there’s a certain aura. And of course, there’s a certain aura.”
He added, “And so many people were used to that aura with the lineage of the belt. But you can’t be mad at Charles because he went out there and just did what he thought he should do to win.”
Rather than criticizing Oliveira, Holloway took responsibility for the outcome, admitting that he should have found a way to neutralize the Brazilian’s grappling and impose his own style of fighting.
He said, “That doesn’t line up with the belt, but it’s still a fight. So at the end of the day, be mad at me because I should have stopped him, but I didn’t. I had my opportunities to go in there and fight my fight. I didn’t.”
Max Holloway spoke about the loss to Charles Oliveira:
“You can’t be mad at Charles… it doesn’t line up with the [BMF] belt, but it’s still a fight.
In my mind, when I think of BMF I think of certain fights. That wasn’t the fight we got.
It proves a point, in the UFC it’s not… pic.twitter.com/it40awqGOa
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) July 4, 2026
Holloway’s assessment carries significant weight. Entering the fight, the former featherweight champion boasted an impressive 81 percent takedown defense and had built a reputation as one of the most difficult fighters in the UFC to control on the ground. Yet Oliveira was able to repeatedly take him down and dictate the fight for nearly its entire duration, underlining the Brazilian’s superiority in the grappling exchanges.
In truth, Oliveira’s game plan should not have come as a surprise. The pre-fight narrative overwhelmingly favored Holloway in the striking department, given his reputation as one of the greatest stand-up fighters in UFC history. Oliveira, meanwhile, entered the contest with a UFC-record 17 submission victories while averaging 2.3 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Rather than engage in a striking battle that favored his opponent, the former lightweight champion leaned into his greatest strengths and executed a near-flawless strategy. At the same time, Holloway acknowledged the reality of the UFC’s matchmaking landscape, where spectacular finishes and action-packed performances often create bigger opportunities than methodical victories.
He said, “Of course, in my mind too, when I think of BMF, I think of certain fights. And that wasn’t the fight we got. The guy still got a win, and it is what it is. You gotta win in the sport, but you gotta win excitingly. We are in the entertainment business. So at the end of the day, it is what it is. I’m here. He’s talking about it.”
With Holloway ultimately being selected to welcome McGregor back to the Octagon after the Irishman’s five-year absence, it is fair to argue that while Oliveira’s dominant UFC 326 performance earned him the BMF title, its methodical nature may have cost him the biggest payday of his career.
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