Charles Oliveira is the new BMF champion following UFC 326, but he didn’t perform the way many hoped he would.
Every BMF title fight up until Saturday has been packed with action. Oliveira (37-11 MMA, 25-11 UFC) took a different route, pinning Max Holloway (27-9 MMA, 23-9 UFC) round after round and amassing over 20 minutes of control to win the belt via unanimous decision.
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While Oliveira’s dominance and skill must be commended, it wasn’t a great fight and not in line with what usually happens in these fights. It’s a huge win for “Do Bronx”‘s resume, but it may actually cost him in terms of future opportunities.
Considering Oliveira’s results, prize money and excitement level in the fight, the idea of him fighting Conor McGregor for the BMF belt was intriguing heading into the fight. Now, people are questioning whether this is just a replica of what happened in the T-Mobile area of Las Vegas, and certainly no one will be running to sign up.
The other options aren’t much better, though. Oliveira can wait another three months to see what happens in the lightweight title match at UFC White House between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje, both of whom have fought in the past. Oliveira hopes to return to the undisputed belt, but there’s always a risk in sitting back.
The smarter move for Oliveira would be to seek a rematch with Arman Tsarukyan (23-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC), who defeated him via split decision at UFC 300 in April 2024. This doesn’t need to be for the BMF belt (probably retired now by Upgrade, but that’s a different topic), but to be a sure-fire title eliminator at 155 pounds.
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It’s clear that UFC CEO Dana White isn’t a fan of Tsarukyan, so Oliveira taking him out of the championship picture in the short term could make him undeniable in the eyes of executives.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC 326 Matchmaker: Who’s Next for BMF Champion Charles Oliveira?
