Lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan believes Charles Oliveira has what it takes to defeat Max Holloway in the main event of UFC 326.
Tsarukyan (23-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC), who defeated Oliveira (36-11 MMA, 24-11 UFC) via split decision at UFC 300 in 2024, recently shared his prediction during an appearance on the JAXXON Podcast. While acknowledging Oliveira’s inconsistency at times, Tsarukyan said the Brazilian’s most recent performance left a strong impression.
“Some fights he fights very well, sometimes he fights bad,” Tsarukyan said. “Depends how it's gonna look, like I'm gonna tell from (watching) one or two minutes.”
Oliveira’s last outing came at UFC Rio in October, where he submitted Mateusz Gamrot in the second round. The win served as an important rebound after Oliveira suffered a knockout loss to Ilia Topuria at UFC 317 in June of last year for the vacant lightweight championship.
According to Tsarukyan, Oliveira’s showing against Gamrot demonstrated that the former champion remains a dangerous threat in the division.
“(In) his last fight, he was with Gamrot, he looked so good,” Tsarukyan said. “He just destroyed him like so easy and choked him out in the second round.”
Tsarukyan also pointed out that Gamrot is widely respected for his grappling ability, making Oliveira’s submission victory even more impressive.
“Gamrot, he's a grappler too, and he choked him out so easy,” Tsarukyan explained. “And on the feet (Oliveira) was good too, and especially after the knockout, he got knocked out (by) Ilia and went there (against Gamrot) and showed performance on such a good level. I was shocked to be honest.”
Oliveira now faces a significant challenge in Holloway (27-8 MMA, 23-8 UFC), the reigning BMF titleholder and former featherweight champion known for his high-volume striking and durability. The bout represents one of the biggest fights of Oliveira’s comeback run and could reshape the lightweight landscape.
Despite acknowledging Oliveira’s unpredictable performances, Tsarukyan ultimately sided with the Brazilian when asked to make a prediction for the main event.
“Sometimes he fights bad, sometimes he fights good,” Tsarukyan said. “But I would say Oliveira.”
