UFC 326 arrives this Saturday with a BMF title fight between champ Max Holloway and ex-lightweight king Charles Oliveira headlining the show.
While not a real championship in terms of divisions or rankings, the symbolic “BMF” (that’s Baddest Motherf*cker, for those unaware) championship denotes the toughest among tough guys. Created for Jorge Masvidal vs. Nate Diaz back in 2019, it has since become the “cool” title to have.
The belt was originally supposed to be a one-off, but the UFC dusted the title off in 2023 when Justin Gaethje defeated Dustin Poirier for it. Holloway then defeated Gaethje in a classic moment at UFC 300 that saw “Blessed” pointing to the canvas in the final ten seconds of the fight, urging Gaethje to brawl before knocking him out cold.
Holloway followed that up by becoming the first man to defend the belt, against Poirier in the latter’s retirement fight last summer.
The point-down gesture has become a Holloway trademark, one that represents the Hawaiian giving his opponents the opportunity to get back in the fight. Just don’t expect Oliveira to return the favor should he be ahead in the fight come Saturday.
“I don’t know bro. All I do, I want to win, that’s it,” Oliveira told Cageside Press during Thursday’s UFC 326 pre-fight press conference. “That’s the real answer.”
Holloway, however, has already given Oliveira his dues as a fellow BMF. “Dude’s a legend. Dude’s a legend. A lot of people are making this a striker versus grappler match. A lot of his subs, before he’s submitting guys he’s killing these guys on the feet. Striking them, hurting them,” Holloway stated on Thursday. “He’s a BMF in my eyes, can’t wait to see him.”
It’s lightweight gold, not the BMF belt (which has traditionally been contested at lightweight) that Holloway has in his sights.
“I got another undisputed title on my mind right now. I want to be a two-division champ,” the former featherweight champion said. “They’re saying this BMF title makes me a two division champ, I don’t believe them. I want that gold. So first things first, it’s Charles Oliveira.”
UFC 326 takes place on Saturday, March 7, 2026 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Holloway vs. Oliveira 2, a rematch of their 2015 fight in Saskatoon, headlines.
