Max Holloway vs Charles Oliveira 2 official with ‘BMF’ title on the line at UFC 326

Eleven years after Holloway beat the Brazilian, the pair will square off again

The UFC has announced another title fight for 2026, as Max Holloway defends the “Baddest Motherf****r” belt in a rematch with Charles Oliveira.

This second showdown between Holloway and Oliveira – 11 years in the making – will headline UFC 326 on 7 March, as the old foes clash at Las Vegas’s T-Mobile Arena.

In 2015, Holloway beat Oliveira at featherweight when the latter suffered a neck injury and was unable to keep fighting. Both men are very different fighters now, with each surely heading into the Hall of Fame someday.

Holloway went on to become a featherweight champion with three successful title defences, while he picked up the “BMF” belt in 2024 after moving up to lightweight. There, he produced an all-time great knockout, faceplanting Justin Gaethje in the final second of their “BMF” title bout.

Holloway, 34, continued his lightweight run with a “BMF” title defence against Dustin Poirier, who retired after suffering a decision loss to the Hawaiian this July. That fight was in fact the third showdown between Holloway and Poirier, who won their first two bouts.

Max Holloway (left) beat Dustin Poirier in the latter’s retirement fight this year (Getty Images)

Meanwhile, Oliveira overcame a “quitter” tag to build a scintillating run at 155lb, where he held the title from 2021 until 2022. Furthermore, the Brazilian holds the records for most finishes and most submissions in UFC history.

Oliveira, 36, has submission wins over Gaethje and Poirier, as well as a points victory over Tony Ferguson; all three are former interim champions in the UFC. Last time out, in October, he submitted Mateusz Gamrot in round one.

Meanwhile, Holloway has eight wins over seven former champions, including interim-title holders. As well as his victories over Oliveira, Gaethje and Poirier, “Blessed” has beaten the legendary Jose Aldo twice, as well as Anthony Pettis, Frankie Edgar and Yair Rodriguez.

Charles Oliveira (right) during his knockout loss to Ilia Topuria in June (Getty Images)

Holloway’s win against Poirier saw him bounce back from an October 2024 loss to Ilia Topuria, who knocked out the Hawaiian in round three retain the featherweight title.

Topuria, 28, then vacated the belt and moved up to lightweight, where he fought Oliveira for the vacant title. Topuria also knocked out Oliveira, finishing him in the first round.