Arman Tsarukyan gets why fans were left underwhelmed at the conclusion of Charles Oliveira vs. Max Holloway at UFC 326.
Oliveira and Holloway collided on March 7 with the BMF Championship at stake. Many expected a competitive fight that would have its moments on the feet. While there were brief exchanges standing, Oliveira was mostly in control thanks to his superior grappling. It led to a unanimous decision win for the former lightweight titleholder.
Some fans weren’t satisfied with how things played out given that it was a BMF title fight. During an interview with Red Corner MMA, Tsarukyan admitted that he didn’t think the fight was exciting (via MMAJunkie).
“I understand them,” Tsarukyan said. “We were sitting in the front row with Nina [Drama] and we were bored. We were looking for the coolest fans around who would be acting excited, but it was hard because almost the whole fight went on the ground, even without ground-and-pound. Charles was just in top position all the time and didn’t even hit Max with any strikes. It would have been much more exciting if he showed any real action, but he was just keeping it on the ground and it was boring.”
Even UFC CEO Dana White wasn’t impressed by how Oliveira vs. Holloway turned out. While announcing upcoming cards during a UFC broadcast, White hurled a zinger at the recent BMF bout.
“I used to always have a guarantee that there were certain fights you saw that you’re like, ‘It’s impossible for this not to be good,’ and then the BMF title [fight] happened last week,” White said.
What’s next for Oliveira and Holloway remains to be seen. Keep it locked on BJPenn.com for the latest updates.
What did you make of Charles Oliveira’s victory over Max Holloway? Were you left feeling disappointed? Be sure to drop a comment below.