Charles Oliveira walked away from the main event of UFC 326 with a new honor after defeating Max Holloway. The win gave Oliveira the BMF belt and added another major result to his long career in the lightweight division.
The fight took place in front of a loud crowd at T-Mobile Arena. Many fans expected a striking battle, but the contest followed a different path. Oliveira relied heavily on his grappling skills and controlled much of the action on the ground. That approach helped him secure a clear decision on the judges scorecards.
Holloway entered the fight as a betting favorite, and many viewers predicted an intense striking exchange similar to Holloway’s famous BMF win over Justin Gaethje at UFC 300. Instead, Oliveira used repeated takedowns and long stretches of control to guide the fight in his direction.
Oliveira Responds to Fighter Criticism
After the result, several fighters spoke publicly about the match. Conor McGregor, Nate Diaz and Dan Hooker questioned the performance and suggested the fight lacked the chaos people expect from a BMF title bout.
Oliveira heard those comments but did not seem interested in arguing about them. Instead, he turned his attention to the bigger goal in the division.
“Of course, I’m going to be really attuned to the main event – those belts are going to be unified between Ilia and Gaethje, and a great fight between (Mauricio) Ruffy and (Michael) Chandler, as well. But you know what I want: I want that belt, so let’s see that fight. I’m going to go home, rest up, and we’ll be tuning in to see what happens.”
The fight he mentioned is the upcoming title unification match between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje. That bout is scheduled to headline UFC Freedom 250 on June 14.
Oliveira made it clear that winning the undisputed lightweight championship is still his main focus.
“I want the title. I want that lightweight belt. I’ve said this all along: Let’s wait for the fight at the White House – that’s what I want to do. But you want to put (superfight opponents againstme) at 170? You want to do it at middleweight? Let’s do it. It doesn’t matter. If you want, make it a grand prix – make it two fights the same day and let’s see what happens.”
Charles Oliveira thinks Dan Hooker is in love with him 😭
“He’s always focused on me, tweeting stuff about me. Why don’t you focus on your career?” #UFC326 https://t.co/bBs20MKnvJ pic.twitter.com/tnV64oq3Bg
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) March 8, 2026
Conor McGregor was NOT a fan of Charles Oliveira’s performance against Max Holloway 😬 #UFC326
“Shockingly bad fight. I am shocked. Charles is a little Charlie ahahaha very bad. Charles very bad. Hang your head bad.
Don’t crown that belt.” pic.twitter.com/ECbXeJRw2I
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) March 8, 2026
Charles Oliveira says he’s down to fight both Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz on the same night 😳
“You want to do 170? I don’t care, it doesn’t matter. If you want, make it a grand prix. Put two fights on the same day, see what happens.” #UFC326 https://t.co/6eBROjtG7n pic.twitter.com/OsqmUJS6sL
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) March 8, 2026
Nate Diaz reacts to Charles Oliveira vs Max Holloway 2
“Boring Mother F*ckers.” 😬 #UFC326 pic.twitter.com/ivvWqaOXgA
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) March 8, 2026
The victory over Holloway improved Oliveira’s recent record, giving him three wins in his last four appearances inside the Octagon. One setback came in June 2025 when he faced Ilia Topuria for the vacant lightweight championship and was stopped in the opening round.
He quickly recovered from that loss with a major win in Rio de Janeiro later that year. Fighting in front of fans in Brazil, Oliveira submitted Mateusz Gamrot in a main event bout. That performance extended his UFC record for the most finishes and most submissions in company history.
For Oliveira, the journey means more than belts and statistics. His path to the top started in difficult conditions in Brazil, and he often speaks about representing people who grew up in similar circumstances.
“I just want to keep doing it. I don’t know where we’re going next. I just want to keep doing what I’m doing, and I want to continue to show people that I’m capable of these things – that a boy that came from the (favelas in Brazil) was able to grow and make history, get these accomplishments, and always be able to be here representing and come up to this microphone and be respectful – because people say a lot of crap.”
While criticism from fellow fighters created discussion online, Oliveira appears focused on bigger goals. The BMF belt now sits alongside his many achievements, but his eyes remain on the lightweight title.
If the timing works out, the winner of the Topuria vs Gaethje championship fight could become Oliveira’s next opponent. Until then, the Brazilian veteran plans to rest, watch the upcoming title clash, and wait for the opportunity to chase another championship.
