LAS VEGAS — Ten years after their first meeting ended in just 99 seconds, Charles Oliveira left no doubt in the rematch.
Oliveira defeated Max Holloway by unanimous decision to win the BMF title in the main event of UFC 326: Holloway vs. Oliveira 2, the promotion’s first event to broadcast bouts on CBS.
The two fan favorites first fought in 2015 at UFC Fight Night 74 in Saskatoon, Canada. That contest ended quickly when Oliveira suffered a neck injury while defending a takedown, giving Holloway the win by first-round TKO.
A decade later — and now competing at lightweight — the fighters met again with much higher stakes.
Oliveira, known as “Do Bronx,” controlled the fight early and often. He opened with leg kicks and secured an early takedown before taking Holloway’s back and controlling much of the first round. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist continued to dictate the pace throughout the fight, mixing elbows, ground control and submission attempts to neutralize Holloway’s striking attack.
After five rounds, the judges awarded Oliveira a unanimous decision victory with identical scorecards of 50-45, crowning him the new BMF champion.
Suspicious bets
A lightweight matchup between Michael Johnson and Drew Dober raised eyebrows among bettors ahead of their scheduled bout.
Johnson entered fight week as a slight favorite at -120 but closed as a +150 underdog on fight night, sparking speculation online about the unusual line movement.
Dober ultimately secured the victory in the second round, landing a one-two combination that knocked the veteran unconscious for a decisive finish.
Rodrigues gets revenge
Gregory “Robocop” Rodrigues needed just one punch to settle unfinished business with fellow Brazilian Brunno Ferreira.
Rodrigues delivered a vicious first-round knockout, avenging a 2023 loss when Ferreira had stopped him early in their previous meeting.
White House card announced
During the broadcast, play-by-play announcer Jon Anik revealed a highly anticipated upcoming event scheduled for the White House lawn this summer.
The main event will feature featherweight champion Ilia Topuria defending his title against interim champion Justin Gaethje. The co-main event is expected to showcase Alex Pereira against Cyril Gane for the interim heavyweight belt.
The six-fight card, titled UFC Freedom 250, is scheduled for Sunday, June 14 and will stream on Paramount+.
What’s next
Upcoming UFC events include:
UFC Fight Night: Emmett vs. Vallejos — March 14 (Las Vegas)
UFC Fight Night: Evloev vs. Murphy — March 21 (London)
UFC Fight Night: Adesanya vs. Pyfer — March 28 (Seattle)