The UFC is in Las Vegas on March 7 for the UFC 326 fight card, streaming on Paramount+. In the main event of UFC 326, Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira meet for the second time. Holloway’s symbolic BMF title is on the line for the lightweight bout. Holloway enters UFC 326 as the No. 4 fighter in the official UFC lightweight rankings, while Oliveira is ranked at No. 3 in the 155-pound division.
The first meeting between Holloway and Oliveira took place in August 2015 in a featherweight contest that headlined a UFC Fight Night card in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. Holloway won that contest by TKO when a neck injury prevented Oliveira from continuing past the 1:39 mark of Round 1.
Following that contest, Holloway won the undisputed featherweight championship. He defended that crown three times before losing the belt to Alexander Volkanovski. As for Oliveira, he went on to win the UFC lightweight title, defending the belt once before losing his crown when he came in overweight for a scheduled title defense against Justin Gaethje.
Over the years, Max Holloway has set the standard for what it means to be a volume striker in the UFC. The 34-year-old Holloway holds notable striking records for the fight promotion: significant strikes landed (3,655), total strikes landed (3,907). He is more than 1,000 strikes ahead of the next fighter in the record book in those categories. Further, the Hawaiian’s 2021 five-round scrap opposite Calvin Kattar saw Holloway set records for striking differential (plus 312), significant strikes landed (445), significant strikes attempted (744), distance strikes landed (439), significant head strikes landed (274), significant body strikes landed (117), total strikes landed (447), and total strikes attempted (746). However, Holloway is not just offense, his granite chin and defense stand out as well. He was not knocked down or out until his October 2024 fight against Ilia Topuria, which was his 34th professional bout. Holloway rebounded from that loss with a July 2025 decision win over Dustin Poirier to win the symbolic BMF title.
Holloway’s high output style is made possible by his endless gas tank. He never tires, and he is always pressuring and moving forward, and his knockout wins (12 in his career) usually come from volume rather than a single blow.
Holloway lands 7.20 significant strikes per minute (10th all-time in the UFC). He absorbs a rather high 4.754 significant strikes per minute.
Charles Oliveira has developed into one of the most dangerous and well-rounded fighters in the UFC lightweight division. Once thought of mainly as a submission artist, he has developed a striking game that is a threat in itself. However, his goal is still to get the fight to the ground. He uses a high-output kickboxing game and accuracy to close distance and get close to his opponent. Once in range, Oliveira ties up his foe to force the action to the ground, where he is extremely dangerous. Even if the fight remains standing, Oliveira is a threat as he mixes up his targets and techniques well and keeps his opponents guessing what’s coming next.
If one is looking for drawbacks to Oliveira’s game, he can be reckless with his striking.
Oliveira is a danger on the mat, his 47 submission attempts are the second-most in UFC history. He has the most submission wins in UFC history, 17, the most stoppage victories, 21, and the most fight-night bonuses, 21. Oliveira has only gone to decision six times in his MMA career.
The former UFC lightweight champ, Oliveira lands 3.40 significant strikes per minute. He absorbs 3.21 strikes per minute.
Charles Oliveira’s path to victory is his wrestling and grappling, while Holloway’s comes via his striking. Oliveira must not only grapple Holloway, but negate his opponent’s striking, which will be hard to do over five rounds. If Oliveira’s takedowns fail, he will be forced to engage on the feet, and that will play into Holloway’s hands.
The betting pick is that Max Holloway defeats Charles Oliveira. The end will come via knockout sometime during the second half of the UFC 326 main event.
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