The UFC is back in Las Vegas for the third time over the last four numbered events as the promotion kicks off its March schedule with UFC 326. It features a “BMF” title fight between former UFC Featherweight Champion Max Holloway and former UFC Lightweight Champion Charles Oliveira in the night’s headliner.
The pair first met in August 2015 at a UFC Fight Night in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, which also served as the main event. Holloway (27-8 MMA, 23-8 MMA) won in anticlimactic fashion as Oliveira (36-11 MMA, 24-11, 1 NC UFC) suffered a combined injury to the neck and shoulder areas in the opening round to abruptly end a fight between the two ex-contenders.
Eleven years later, they will meet again. Only this time, the sport is different. It has a new television partner in the United States, new ownership (minus a handful of executives and UFC CEO Dana White), and a fresh crop of new champions, to name a few.
However, Holloway and Oliveira remain two of the constants who are still competing at a high level. Both arguably know their careers are heading toward their respective final chapters, too. When speaking to reporters at Thursday’s pre-fight presser in the lead-up to UFC 326, Holloway was humble in his assessment of Oliveira overall.
Ilia Topuria (red gloves) fights Charles Oliveira (blue gloves) during UFC 317 at T-Mobile Arena. | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
But, for Oliveira, it’s a fight he’d rather erase from his memory bank.
“Let’s forget about the other fight,” Oliveira said. “The first one didn’t exist, forget it, let’s kill it. He won, that’s it. It’s over. Two great fighters, two legends, two great champions who will have the opportunity to put on a great show on Saturday.”
Holloway, meanwhile, envisions the rematch having a lasting impact on UFC fans in ways his last-second fifth-round KO at UFC 300 against Justin Gaethje (27-5 MMA, 10-5 UFC) did.
Max Holloway (red gloves) fights against Dustin Poirier (blue gloves) during UFC 318 at Smoothie King Center. | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
“I think that moment [with Gaethje] transcended the sport, and it was amazing,” Holloway said. “I saw someone with my shirt on and I was like, ‘Oh, sick shirt’ and they’re losing their mind with me, but then they were telling me, ‘I’m not even an MMA fan. I saw this clip and then I saw your shirt at Pacsun and that’s why I bought it.’ That’s how cool that moment was.”
The fight will be contested as a five-rounder despite the “BMF” belt not holding a traditional, formal distinction as say, lightweight. It is the seventh year the UFC has instituted the belt, having created some entertaining moments over the years.
Check out the bout order and current odds below, courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
Select bouts will be shown in simulcast on CBS, marking the first time the flagship network has shown the UFC live under its seven-year deal. Four fights, including two main card bouts, will make up the 8-10 p.m. ET window with the entire card streaming live on Paramount+.
UFC 326 Full Card + OddsMain card (Start time 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT, P+)Main Event: Max Holloway (-220) vs. Charles Oliveira (+170), lightweight – Holloway’s “BMF” titleCo-Main Event: Caio Borralho (-258) vs. Reinier de Ridder (+210), middleweightRob Font (+220) vs. Raul Rosas Jr., (-270), bantamweightDrew Dober (-102) vs. Michael Johnson (-118), lightweight (CBS)Gregory Rodrigues ( -162) vs. Brunno Ferreira (+136), middleweight (CBS)Preliminary card (Start time 5 p.m. ET/ 2 p.m. PT, P+)Featured Prelim: Cody Garbrandt (+136) vs. Xiao Long (-162), bantamweight (CBS)Donte Johnson (-850) vs. Cody Brundage (+575), middleweight (CBS)Ricky Turcios (+150) vs. Alberto Montes (-180), featherweightCody Durden (+136) vs. Nyamjargal Tumendemberel (-162), flyweightSu Mudaerji (-218) vs. Jesus Santos Aguilar (+180), flyweightRafael Tobias (-180) vs. Diyar Nurgozhay (+150), light heavyweightLuke Fernandez (-218) vs. Rodolfo Bellato (+180), light heavyweight
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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