Max Holloway‘s time as BMF champion is over after UFC 326, and it was nothing short of frustrating.
Holloway (27-9 MMA, 23-9 UFC) was able to stay alive through give rounds of grappling fury from Charles Oliveira (37-11 MMA, 25-11 UFC) on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena, but largely could not get out of defensive mode over 25 minutes and lost a lopsided unanimous decision.
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Although Holloway was in good spirts after the fight and said all the right things in his brief post-fight interview with Joe Rogan, there’s no denying this is a critical setback for the 34-year-old, who had designs on winning, then fighting Conor McGregor or the winner of Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje at UFC White House.
Holloway is going to have to recalculate his path to the title after UFC 326, but all hope is not lost. He is still beloved by the fans and has motion with UFC as a draw, so that’s going to give more opportunities.
There are still plenty of fight options available to the Hawaiian, as well. Even with the defeat, a rematch with McGregor this summer is still logical even with a BMF title on the line. He could fight the surging Benoit Saint Denis, which would be a strong statement about his ability to fend off the next era at 155 pounds.
Another option could be the winner of the UFC White House fight between Michael Chandler and Mauricio Ruffy, both of whom would be logical if victorious.
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Any of the options above would be a good fit for “Blessed.” He would surely pick McGregor if given the choice, but any fight with McGregor in 2026 comes on some shaky ground.
Either way, this defeat at UFC 326 is deflating, but not defining, for Holloway.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC 326 matchmaker: Who’s next for Max Holloway after loss?
