Max Holloway opened up about his rematch with Charles Oliveira ahead of UFC 326. The bout has high stakes attached. Holloway’s BMF title will be on the line, and both will have a chance to find closure.
Their first bout took place at UFC Saskatoon in 2015. Although it was an official bout that counted toward their respective records, it wasn’t much of a fight. Oliveira appeared to suffer a neck injury, and the fight was waved off at 1:39 of the 1st round.
Now, 11 years later, both competitors are established in the sport and among the top lightweights in the UFC. They have improved significantly, so ‘Blessed’ feels this will be a completely different fight.
Holloway, also a Stake Ambassador, joined Heavy Sports for an exclusive interview, and shared his thoughts on facing Oliveira again. He highlighted ‘Do Bronx’s striking as being a key area that allows him to set up submissions.
“Charles Oliveira of today is very dangerous. A dangerous striker, I believe. A lot of submissions come from him actually hurting guys on the feet,” Holloway said.
‘Blessed’ also expressed excitement for being able to introduce himself to the large audience on Paramount+.
“I can’t wait to go out there. The new [UFC-Paramount] deal, the views the UFC numbered cards are getting is just absolutely ridiculous. So, I’m excited to be a part of this era and to introduce some new fans to the sport.”
Max Holloway Claps Back at Critics Who Don’t Credit Him for Defeating Charles Oliveira
Max Holloway also addressed critics who don’t credit him for defeating Charles Oliveira in their first fight. Despite being awarded with a TKO victory, there are some fans who claim that ‘Blessed’ didn’t legitimately defeat ‘Do Bronx.’
Holloway, meanwhile, feels that there will always be critics and is unfazed, as it is naturally part of the sprot. He said he remains focused on his rematch with Oliveira and vows to leave no room for debate about the result.
“It is what it is. [The first fight was] a long time ago. And I mean, if a guy’s going to look at the fight that way, they’re going to look the fight it that way,” Holloway exclusively told Heavy Sports. “All I really care about is this fight. Charles Oliveira’s a killer. And I can’t wait to go in there and mix it up with him, man. I just can’t wait to show the world.”
He added: “I want to be a two-division undisputed champion. And, it’s right there for the taking. All I gotta do is go out there and keep winning and it starts here [at UFC 326].”
Holloway Shares First Impressions of Oliveira
Holloway also revealed his first impressions were of Oliveira before their initial bout at UFC Saskatoon.
“[Oliveira was] a dangerous guy, bro. Alright [striking] and very slick on the ground,” Holloway told Heavy Sports.
At the time, both were aiming to push toward a featherweight title shot. Holloway entered on a six-fight winning streak that included a submission victory over Cub Swanson. Oliveira, meanwhile, won four consecutive fights and was awarded post-fight bonuses for three of them.
A key difference in the rematch is that they are now fighting for the BMF title while also pushing for a lightweight title shot.
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This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
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