Is Charles Oliveira vs. Max Holloway 2 the next fight to be made at lightweight? After his knockout loss to Ilia Topuria in June in the UFC 317 main event for the vacant lightweight title, Charles Oliveira entered a tough stretch. Retirement rumors quickly spread throughout the MMA community, and they grew even louder when the promotion booked his fight in Rio. But Oliveira shut down the speculation with a dominant win.

And a few days ago, the UFC Brazil page reignited the conversation when it briefly posted and then deleted a graphic announcing a matchup between Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira for the BMF title, set for the undercard of the interim lightweight bout. The post sent fans into a frenzy. Now, Oliveira addressed the situation and set the record straight.

Charles Oliveira clears the timeline for the showdown with BMF Max Holloway

After his win at UFC Rio against Mateusz Gamrot, Charles ‘Do Bronx’ Oliveira called out Max Holloway for the BMF title fight. Now, ‘Do Bronxs’ has an idea of when his wish will come to fruition.

“Nothing is confirmed about my fight with Max in January, okay? I’m on vacation with my family,” Charles Oliveira said on Instagram. The former champion is on vacation with his family and was off social media when the rumors started to spread. Once he was back, he was quick to shut them down. “One thing is certain: this fight is not happening in January.” ‘Do Bronxs’ made it clear that he is still waiting for the contract. That said, he believes, “This fight will probably be around March or April.”

He also promised fans that he will share updates soon, as he currently enjoys vacation time with his family. As for Max Holloway, the BMF champion accepted the fight, highlighting the “history” between them.

Previously, the two clashed in the featherweight division over a decade ago, when ‘Blessed’ displayed his striking power and finished the Brazilian in the first round via an injury. Now, Oliveira is eager to settle the score with the Hawaiian star, while also keeping his sights on a future title shot.

Oliveira hopes to capture the lightweight title before retiring

Former champion Charles Oliveira currently holds the number two spot in the lightweight division. Despite being 36 and in the twilight of his career, the Brazilian still actively pursues his dream of a “reunion” with Max Holloway.

In recent fights, Charles Oliveira has faced challenges against the UFC’s top competition, dropping fights to younger, hungrier contenders like Arman Tsarukyan, Ilia Topuria, and Islam Makhachev, leaving him with a 3-3 record in his last six fights. His three victories came against mid-tier opponents, including Michael Chandler, Beneil Dariush, and Mateusz Gamrot.

In June, Topuria ended ‘Do Bronxs’s hopes of becoming a two-time lightweight champion. Now, Charles Oliveira sees a showdown with Max Holloway as his chance to work back toward a potential rematch with Topuria. “This is my dream again. I think I’m going to have the opportunity to fight for the BMF now, and then I think that if I get past Max, I believe I’ll be the next challenger again,” Oliveira explained.

What do you think about Charles Oliveira chasing the lightweight crown once more? Can the Brazilian overcome the surge of emerging contenders in the division? Share your thoughts below.