UFC 326 live blog: Max Holloway vs. Charles Oliveira 2

This is the UFC 326 live blog for Max Holloway vs. Charles Oliveira, the “BMF” championship main event bout Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Holloway is currently No. 12 in the MMA Fighting Pound-for-Pound Rankings, with Charles Oliveira at No. 19.

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This is a long-awaited rematch for the two future Hall of Famers, with Holloway getting the win in a featherweight bout all the way back at UFC Saskatoon in August 2015 when Oliveira suffered an injury to bring the contest to a disappointing end.

Holloway (27-8) went on to establish himself as one of the best featherweights of all time, winning a UFC title and successfully defending it three times. His list of conquests includes Jose Aldo, Dustin Poirier, Justin Gaethje, Frankie Edgar, The Korean Zombie, and Anthony Pettis, and many others considered among the best fighters of this generation. He knocked out Gaethje in the final seconds of a dominant performance at UFC 300 to snatch the BMF belt and became the only fighter to successfully defend it when he defeated longtime rival Dustin Poirier this past July.

“Do Bronx” hasn’t done bad for himself either. The UFC’s all-time leader in submission victories finally made it to the top of the mountain at 155 pounds when he defeated Michael Chandler for a vacant belt at UFC 262. Since that win, Oliveira has gone 5-3 while providing highlight after highlight whether in victory or defeat. Like Holloway, he aims to build on a UFC 326 main event win to earn one more shot at an undisputed title.

Check out the UFC 326 live blog for Max Holloway vs. Charles Oliveira below.

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Preamble

Here we go. Forget all the White House drama and the lackluster undercard, this is what we’re here for. Two of the best ever finally getting to see who is the better man. All in.

Always tell me the odds

Holloway has been the favorite since this one was announced, -196 on FanDuel. Oliveira the underdog at +164. But this feels closer to a pick ‘em, doesn’t it?

Walkouts

Round 1

Marc Goddard the third man in the cage for your main event.

Oliviera immediately attacks with leg kicks. There’s a 1-2 from Holloway. Uh oh, he’s landing early. But here comes Oliveira, throwing heavy. Body lock and Oliveira just dumps him to the mat. Fast start!