When Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira first crossed paths at UFC Fight Night 74 in the featherweight division, few could have predicted the legendary careers that awaited both fighters. More than a decade later, the two are set to run it back at UFC 326, this time with the coveted BMF title on the line at lightweight. Their first encounter, however, ended in a strange and anticlimactic fashion. Just 1:39 into the opening round, Oliveira shot for a takedown but suddenly appeared to be in visible agony.
Although ‘Do Bronx’ managed to return to his feet, he repeatedly clutched his neck in pain, forcing the referee to step in and halt the contest. The bout was ruled a TKO after Oliveira was unable to continue due to what was later described as a mysterious esophagus injury. Now, 11 years later, the long-awaited rematch promises a completely different kind of spectacle. As anticipation builds, the combat sports world has already begun weighing in, with legends like Jon Jones, Islam Makhachev, and CM Punk publicly backing their picks for who will walk out of the T-Mobile Arena as the BMF champion.
Majority of UFC and WWE Stars Back Max Holloway to Beat Charles Oliveira at UFC 326
In a recent Instagram post, the UFC reached out to several of its biggest stars, asking them to weigh in on who they believe will win the main event of UFC 326 between Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira.
Among the most notable responses came from Conor McGregor, who questioned whether the bout truly fits the BMF label. The Irishman had earlier reminded fans that the symbolic title was originally introduced at welterweight when Nate Diaz competed for it at 170 pounds, while the belt has since been contested at 155 pounds in its three most recent appearances.
Despite raising that point, McGregor still leaned toward the reigning BMF champion, suggesting that Holloway could come out on top again, though he stopped short of ruling out Oliveira’s chances.
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In a separate post, the former two-division champion added even more fuel to the conversation, claiming he would stop both men if given the opportunity. McGregor also hinted at a potential return, noting that although his rumored White House fight with Michael Chandler is no longer on the table, he would be open to facing the winner of the UFC 326 main event during International Fight Week on July 11 later this year.
Across the board, most of the fighters featured in the post echoed McGregor’s pick, predicting that the BMF title would remain with ‘Blessed.’ Names such as Jon Jones, Islam Makhachev, Paddy Pimblett, and Holloway’s former rival Dustin Poirier all sided with the champion.
Jones wrote, “I got Max all day,” while Makhachev wrote a short yet emphatic, “What’s up. I got Holloway.” Meanwhile, Poirier wrote, “Love both guys, but I gotta go with the best, Blessed.”
Unsurprisingly, the four votes that came in for Oliveira were all from his fellow Brazilians, with Alex Pereira, Amanda Nunes, Alexandre Pantoja, and Carlos Prates predicting that the belt will change hands.
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The only response that avoided picking either fighter came from Arman Tsarukyan, whose one-word answer to the question of who would win simply read, “me”. Meanwhile, several prominent names from the WWE also sided with Holloway, including CM Punk, Oba Femi, Trish Stratus, Drew McIntyre, and Jacob Fatu, all backing the former featherweight champion to defeat Oliveira.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.