This evening, Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira will square off in what is expected to be a true MMA firefight, 11 years after their first showdown.
In the main event of UFC 326, Holloway will defend the “Baddest Motherf*****” belt against Oliveira, in a meeting of former world champions; Hawaiian Holloway is a former featherweight title holder, while his Brazilian foe is an ex-lightweight champion.
And it’s at lightweight that the pair will meet in Las Vegas, more than a decade after Holloway beat Oliveira under strange circumstances. In their 2015 featherweight bout, Oliveira was overcome by a neck or throat injury – his team still aren’t sure, even to this day.
Holloway, 34, and Oliveira, 36, are much different fighters now, in any case. Each has forged a Hall of Fame-worthy legacy, which could be enhanced in this long-awaited rematch. Furthermore, Holloway could move closer to a rematch with Ilia Topuria, the reigning lightweight champion, if he wins here.
In 2024, Topuria knocked out “Blessed” in a featherweight-title fight, before doing the same to Oliveira to claim lightweight gold last summer – but some fans feel Holloway has a claim to a second crack at Topuria, in a new division. Here’s all you need to know.
When is UFC 326?
UFC 326 will take place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday 7 March. The early prelims will begin at 10:30pm GMT (2:30pm PT / 4:30pm CT / 5:30pm ET), with the regular prelims following at 12am GMT on Sunday (4pm PT / 6pm CT / 7pm ET on Saturday). The main card then starts at 2am GMT on Sunday (6pm PT / 8pm CT / 9pm ET on Saturday).
How can I watch it?
In the UK, the main card will air live on TNT Sports and is also accessible via Discovery+, EE TV, Virgin Media, Amazon Prime Video, and Sky Sports; beforehand, the early and regular prelims will stream live on UFC Fight Pass. In the US, Paramount+ will stream the early prelims, regular prelims and main card – and CBS will show the final hour of the regular prelims and first hour of the main card.
Odds
Holloway – 4/7
Oliveira – 7/5
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Fight card
Subject to change; ‘C’ denotes champion
Main card
Max Holloway (C) vs Charles Oliveira 2 (“Baddest Motherf****r” title)
Caio Borralho vs Reinier de Ridder (middleweight)
Rob Font vs Raul Rosas Jr (bantamweight)
Drew Dober vs Michael Johnson (lightweight)
Gregory Rodrigues vs Brunno Ferreira (middleweight)
Prelims
Cody Garbrandt vs Xiao Long (bantamweight)
Donte Johnson vs Dusko Todorovic (middleweight)
Ricky Turcios vs Alberto Montes (featherweight)
Cody Durden vs Nyamjargal Tumendemberel (flyweight)
Early prelims
Sumudaerji vs Jesus Aguilar (flyweight)
Luke Fernandez vs Rodolfo Bellato (light-heavyweight)
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