UFC 326 brought two of the toughest names in the promotion to opposite sides of the cage—Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira. Having defeated ‘Do Bronxs’ back in 2015 via first-round knockout, ‘Blessed’ was expected to repeat history at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday night for the BMF belt. At least, that’s how the oddsmakers saw the fight. 

Holloway was the -230 favorite to win, while Oliveira came into the rematch as a +175 underdog, according to DraftKings sportsbook. And when the action stopped in the main event, those odds were proven wrong, as Oliveira secured a dominant unanimous decision victory. Now, with his rematch loss at UFC 326, what does fate hold for the ‘Blessed’ next?

Max Holloway will look to rebuild

With his upset loss, Holloway would likely fall down in the UFC’s lightweight rankings, but not low enough to lose all hope. He could end up facing No. 6-ranked Paddy Pimblett next. ‘The Baddy’ is coming off a loss to Justin Geatje at UFC 324. So, matching Holloway with Pimblett would make for an exciting fight for both to bounce back. 

Another option for ‘Blessed’ could be No.5-ranked Benoît Saint Denis, who defeated Dan Hooker in February. Denis has just three losses in his resume, and is currently on four fight win streak. While the Frenchman gets the opportunity to defeat a former champion, ‘Blessed’ would look to recover from his tumble down the rankings. 

Or Holloway could also fight No. 7-ranked Mateusz Gamrot, who is coming off a loss to Charles Oliveira. This fight will allow Holloway to make a claim for a trilogy with Oliveira while giving him a chance to bounce back. Ultimately, though, the UFC has decided Holloway’s fate. In the meantime, Max Holloway may have missed out on the biggest fight of his career. 

Conor McGregor shares his hunch about next fight

Speaking on the Smash Cast, former two-division Conor McGregor champion suggested that the main event of UFC 326 could determine his next opponent. The card featured a BMF title clash between Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira, a fight that McGregor believes the promotion may use to set up his comeback.

“The vibes I’m getting, and I don’t mind it at all, the BMF contest, which is on this week, a rematch between Holloway and Oliveira… maybe it’s me and that for the next one. So, we will see. It’s all taking shape.”

‘The Mac’ also revealed that he has already accepted several potential fights but is still waiting for a contract. His manager, Audie Attar, is scheduled to meet the UFC in Las Vegas to discuss what the Irish star hopes will be a “respectable offer.” 

That being said, Charles Oliveira and Conor McGregor could be the next big fight. But the UFC has yet to share its thoughts. Do you think it will happen? And who do you think Holloway would end up fighting?