A rematch between former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira and former featherweight titleholder and ‘BMF’ champion Max Holloway headlines the UFC 326 fight card on March 7.
The symbolic ‘BMF’ belt is on the line when the two clash inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The two first fought in August 2015 in the UFC Fight Night 74 main event. The fight ended in 99 seconds with Holloway winning via TKO due to Oliveira suffering an esophagus injury.
Former lightweight title challenger Michael Chandler will be watching the UFC 326 main event closely. “Iron” gave his prediction for the ‘BMF’ bout during a series of recent interviews and is eyeing a ‘BMF’ fight in his future.
“Charles Oliveira has been a consummate professional forever. He was a champion for multiple fights,” Chandler said when talking with Paramount UFC. “Max Holloway, what can you say about Max Holloway aside from the fact that he’s an absolute legend? First ballot Hall of Famer and our current BMF titleholder.
“So, if I had to give the edge, I do think Max Holloway has the edge in the skill department, but Charles Oliveira has proven time and time again that you can never ever count him out,” continued Chandler. “I give a slight edge to Max … I’ll have my eyes definitely on that because maybe one of those guys will end up the winner that will maybe end up at the White House.”
Saying Holloway has a slight edge in the matchup was Chandler being kind. He expects the Hawaiian to finish Oliveira or win a one-sided decision.
“I’ve got my eye on that one because I think Max gets the win. I do. I think Max gets the win. I think Oliveira is coming off a pretty devastating knockout and turned around real quick and jumped into another training camp,” Chandler told MMAJunkie. “I’ve got my eye on that BMF belt if Max wins, so we’ll see.”
“Early prediction. I think Max Holloway goes out there and maybe it’s a late knockout finish or maybe it’s just a dominant 50-45 finish because of the ability of Max to be able to move, not get taken down, not get controlled and land a lot of strikes in that 25-minute period,” he told Paramount UFC.