Max Holloway has had a logical next opponent lined up before he even enters the cage at UFC 318.
Saturday will mark the first fight back for ‘Blessed’ since his first-ever knockout loss last October. After Holloway was knocked out by Ilia Topuria while competing for the Spaniard’s featherweight title, the Hawaiian has gone from challenger to defender.
In the main event of UFC 318, Holloway will mark Dustin Poirier’s retirement fight opponent. For his final farewell, ‘The Diamond’ will look to add one last accolade to his MMA résumé by ripping the symbolic BMF title from Holloway’s grasp.
Some say there is heavy pressure on ‘Blessed’ given that he still plans on charging toward a divisional title while Poirier heads off into retirement. One prominent UFC figure, however, thinks a huge fight is guaranteed for Holloway regardless of how he performs in New Orleans.
Jon Anik pitches Max Holloway vs. Charles Oliveira next after UFC 318
Jon Anik recently broke down Saturday’s main event at Smoothie King Center and assessed what could lie ahead for Poirier and Holloway.
After suggesting that Poirier’s retirement plan appears definitive, the UFC’s lead commentator turned his attention to Holloway, who insists his career in the Octagon is far from its conclusion.
Anik pushed back on talk of further BMF defenses, instead pitching a rematch with a former UFC champion that would give both men the chance to put their name among the contenders vying for Topuria’s gold.
“I don’t really have a huge appetite to see him defend the BMF title again, were he to successfully defend it here against Dustin Poirier,” Anik told Odds Shark.
“I think he should be chasing the undisputed lightweight title. Of course, we’ll see what happens with Ilia Topuria. But if you were to match Max Holloway up with Ilia again at ’55, or to match him up with someone like Arman Tsarukyan, or to do a rematch with Charles Oliveira…
“There’s a lot of big fights for Holloway at 155 pounds, win or lose this fight,” Anik continued. “I don’t know, man. Holloway vs. Oliveira 2? I mean, God, I think that’s the fight.”
Holloway fought Oliveira at featherweight in 2015, with the pair headlining a UFC Fight Night in Saskatoon. ‘Blessed’ had his hand raised after a rare esophagus injury left the Brazilian unable to continue less than two minutes into the fight.
Charles Oliveira has already given his green light for Max Holloway rematch
Should the UFC share Anik’s sentiment, one half of the potential matchup has already done some of the work for them.
The promotion won’t need to inquire about the former lightweight champion’s interest, as Oliveira called for the Holloway rematch himself during a recent interview with Ag. Fight.
“(Max Holloway) will fight in July, I fought in June. I think November would be the time… It would be a great fight. He said he would fight too, so why not?” Oliveira said.
For now, all eyes will be on Holloway’s BMF title defense in New Orleans. What the future holds for both ‘Blessed’ and his symbolic belt remains to be seen.