While Charles Oliveira was rising the ranks in the UFC featherweight division in the early years of his UFC career, Max Holloway scored a victory over the Brazilian in 2015 due to a neck injury. A decade later, as both fighters return to the Octagon together with a more refined UFC resume, Holloway is ready to recreate that moment with a twist.

In their first encounter, Holloway used his striking abilities to defeat the former UFC lightweight champion. However, Holloway is secretly planning to take a risk for their upcoming UFC 326 bout with the BMF title on the line in Las Vegas on March 7, 2026.

Max Holloway wants to finish Oliveira on his own ground at UFC 326

“My coaches are probably going to kill me when they see this and hear me saying, you know, a BMF thing to do would probably be to submit a submission artist, you know, a guy who knows what submission is,” Holloway remarked.

While this isn’t the first time Holloway has defended his BMF belt, he wants to elevate the stakes of the rematch against Oliveira with an unexpected move. In his two BMF title fights, Holloway was seen taking a risk against Justin Gaethje and Dustin Poirier, going all out against the opponents in the final 10 seconds of the fights. However, this time the Hawaiian star wishes to dominate Oliveira on the ground, which would be a huge risk given the Brazilian has 17 finishes via submission in the UFC.

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“It’d be pretty BMF, but, you know, at the end of the day, never say never, you know. If your boy throws up some submissions here and there and I get one, who’s to say what happens? That’s a pretty BMF moment, to go submit a submission artist,” Holloway added, searching for bragging rights.

With only two wins via submission on his record, Holloway’s gamble might backfire against Charles Oliveira, who holds the UFC record for the most submission wins across all weight classes. As of now, only Islam Makhachev has succeeded in doing so in over 8 years with a second-round arm triangle. Even the likes of Arman Tsarukyan were let down despite coming razor-close to securing the finish.

With that said, Holloway has a strong chin and, with 12 knockout wins in his career, he would likely benefit if he improves his takedown defense and puts pressure on Oliveira with his strikes and leg kicks. But, as it turns out, it’s not only Holloway who is playing with fire for the upcoming BMF bout.

Charles Oliveira trains for a point down moment with Holloway

Charles Oliveira, known for his grappling skills, is entering the fight after scoring a submission victory over Mateusz Gamrot at UFC Fight Night 261. But before the fight, he suffered a knockout loss against Ilia Topuria at UFC 311. However, it seems like Oliveira is intent on repeating a few mistakes, as was clear in his latest training video, preparing for a point down, sending fans into worry.

The carefully crafted strategy deployed by the BMF champion has never turned out pretty for his opponents. As one of the most menacing strikers, the call to a pure boxing exchange has translated to some of the best KOs in his resume, and Oliveira might very well join that list should he poke the bear.

However, with both fighters looking beyond their comfort zones, the bout might not be as straightforward as most expected. Whether Holloway decides to capitalize on Oliveira’s shift to striking exchanges or continues to roll with his vision of submitting him remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: the fate of both the fighters depends on how they treat the impending threat.

So what are your thoughts on the switch-up? Should Max Holloway return his focus to striking? Or would you like to see him explore the uncharted waters? Let us know in the comments below.