Issue 227

March 2026

This is what dominance looks like when it refuses to conform to people’s expectations. While it looked like a moment, it was the whole story. Max Holloway, one of the sport’s most reliable action heroes, was stuck on his back while Charles Oliveira dictated every second. There’s something old school about it. A throwback to the Royce Gracie days when MMA didn’t care how it looked, only that it worked. Then came the striker’s era, where entertainment took centre stage. Now it feels like things are circling back. It doesn’t matter if fans boo it or fighters roll their eyes. MMA is evolving into a results business dressed up as entertainment, where decisions are becoming the norm. The BMF belt had expectations to stand for violence, swagger, and a willingness to meet in the fire. Maybe the baddest no longer means the one who trades the most, but the one who solves the problem fastest, cleanest, and without compromise. With it resting around the waist of an elite grappler, who knows what its next outing might look like. 

March 7, 2026

UFC 326, T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, NV