Max Holloway believes he remains firmly in the lightweight title picture as he prepares for another pivotal moment in his career.
Holloway (27-8 MMA, 23-8 UFC) is set to headline UFC 326 on March 7 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, where he will face former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira (36-11 MMA, 24-11 UFC) for the BMF title. The bout represents another massive opportunity for Holloway as he continues his full-time run at 155 pounds after a decorated tenure at featherweight.
The former featherweight king, who held the 145-pound belt from 2016 to 2019, has already been at the center of the lightweight title conversation over the past year. At UFC 300, Holloway delivered one of the most memorable knockouts in promotional history when he stopped Justin Gaethje (27-5 MMA, 10-5 UFC) to claim the BMF championship. He later faced reigning lightweight champion Ilia Topuria (17-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC), suffering a third-round knockout loss at UFC 308.
Meanwhile, Gaethje rebounded in January at UFC 324, defeating Paddy Pimblett to capture the interim lightweight title. A unification bout between Gaethje and Topuria is widely expected later this year, potentially as part of a June card at the White House.
Holloway, who has shared the Octagon with both men, offered his perspective on how a Gaethje-Topuria clash might unfold.
“People seem to think that after Justin's last fight, that means Ilia will win easily,” Holloway said in an interview with Stake. “I think sometimes you have to do what Justin did against Paddy. You have to make it ugly and put people in a fight when they're not used to that style.
“I think Justin made that fight look how he wanted it to look, and congrats to him. I'd love to get that one back against Ilia, and I know Justin would love to get the one back against me, so whoever wins, I think I'm in a great position.”
For Holloway, the immediate focus is Oliveira, a dangerous finisher and former champion seeking to reclaim gold. A victory in the UFC 326 main event could vault Holloway directly into a title opportunity at lightweight.
“You never know with the UFC, but if you keep winning and winning in style, it's hard to deny,” Holloway said. “I know that the fans like to watch me fight, and if I go out there and put on another show-stopping moment, another UFC 300 moment, big things are coming.”
