Max Holloway isn’t interested in complaining about Charles Oliveira’s grappling during their BMF title fight.
Back in March, Holloway and Oliveira met in the UFC 326 main event. The bout was highly anticipated with the BMF Championship at stake. Ultimately, the fight didn’t play out the way fans envisioned. Oliveira used his grappling to keep Holloway grounded for five rounds before earning a unanimous decision win.
While the outcome left many fans unsatisfied, Holloway told Brett Okamoto of ESPN that he can’t put the blame on Oliveira for a fight that didn’t produce the fireworks that many were hoping for.
“To put it plain and simple, I’m not a complainer,” Holloway said. “So, I’m not gonna complain. At the end of the day, everybody keeps talking about it. ‘Oh, how you feel?’ Because around the BMF belt there’s a certain aura, and of course there’s that certain aura, and so much people are so used to that aura with the lineage of the belt, but you can’t be mad at Charles because he went out there and he just did what he thought he had to do to win.”
Holloway has a big fight coming up on Saturday. He is set to welcome Conor McGregor back inside the Octagon. Holloway has the opportunity to avenge a 2013 loss to the “Notorious” one, which occurred long before either man exploded in popularity or reached their true potential.
Oliveira’s next fight hasn’t been set, but many believe a rematch with Arman Tsarukyan could serve as a potential title eliminator. Reigning lightweight champion Justin Gaethje told Joe Rogan that he’s unlikely to put his gold at stake the rest of 2026.
Do you think fans blaming Charles Oliveira for the lack of action in the UFC 326 main event are in the wrong, or do you agree with their complaints? Sound off in the comments below.