Two True BMF's

Max Holloway (left) vs Charles Oliveira (right) via mmajunkie.com

Max Holloway vs Charles Oliveira II

Nearly a month since the past numbered card, the UFC touches down in Las Vegas, Nevada, for a spectacular night of mixed martial arts. This card is stacked from top to bottom, and with that, let’s dive into the main event.

In the main event, the BMF title is up for grabs as two future Hall of Famers look to finally settle the score.

Eleven years ago, Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira met in the cage. At this time, they were both young, hungry contenders looking to make a name for themselves. Not only that, but they competed at 145 pounds, a class below their current weights. 

The fight was even throughout, with both finding success, but near the end of the first round, Oliveira went down with a mysterious neck injury. The injury was deemed to be an esophageal tear. However, Oliveira believes most people couldn't explain his injury. The Brazilian revealed that he lost sensation on his left side following the injury, leading to talks of paralysis.

With all that being said, fans should take nothing from that first fight. Both Holloway and Oliveira are complete MMA fighters, and they have developed into two of the best lightweights in the world.

Stylistically, many view this as the classic “striker versus grappler” matchup, but there’s more to it.

Oliveira is arguably the greatest jiu-jitsu athlete the UFC has ever seen, and with that, is always a threat when the fight hits the ground. But this misconception lies in how Oliveira gets his opponents to the ground.

Rarely does he take fighters down, dominate them with wrestling, and submit them. Usually, he hurts opponents on the feet, carrying power in both hands. Once he has his opponents hurt, he then locks up the fight-ending submissions.

Expect Oliveira to press forward, walking down Holloway, throwing front kicks, switch kicks, and teep kicks, attempting to overwhelm his opponent with chaotic pressure.

On the other hand, Holloway is still looking to become an undisputed champion in a second division; a win over Oliveira would put him on the right track.

For Holloway, he will need to keep this fight on the feet. Despite lacking the power advantage, Holloway’s striking is vastly superior to his counterpart's.

Oliveira’s striking defense is sloppy; he marches forward in a straight line with minimal head movement. This style is a striker’s dream, especially one of Holloway’s caliber.

If Holloway can accumulate enough damage on his opponent while sticking and moving on the backfoot, avoiding any clinches from Oliveira, he may find a finish late in the fight.

When you look up the definition of BMF, these two athletes fit the label better than anyone, and regardless of the outcome, this fight could be an early contender for fight of the year.

Caio Borralho vs Reinier de Ridder

In the co-main event, two top middleweight contenders look to get back in the win column, as former ONE FC double champion Reinier de Ridder takes on Caio Borralho.

With the middleweight title picture uncertain, a win for either fighter could be massive for future championship aspirations.

De Ridder joined the UFC in November 2024 and, since then, has fought an astounding five times. Prior to his last contest, De Ridder had steamrolled through the 185-pound division, defeating Kevin Holland, Bo Nickal, and Robert Whittaker.

In his last fight, de Ridder entered as the heavy favorite, and fans expected him to make quick work of Brendan Allen. 

But unfortunately, his activity caught up to him, and after the first round, de Ridder was a shell of his former self, eventually quitting on the stool.

On the other side, the story has been similar for Borralho.

Riding a fourteen-fight win streak heading into his title eliminator with Nassourdine Imavov, fans expected Borralho to put on a show. The fight was entertaining, but it was clear that Borralho was a step behind and lost via decision.

Now, both these athletes enter the contest fresh, ready to remind fans that they are future title contenders. 

For de Ridder, despite his massive frame for the weight class, he will need to be on the front foot, constantly pressuring Borralho.

De Ridder does his best work in the clinch, landing knees to the body and securing takedowns to initiate his grappling, and despite Borralho’s jiu-jitsu credentials, de Ridder is the superior grappler and will need to take the fight to the ground.

For Borralho, he needs to keep the fight standing. He possesses superior striking skills, and against grapplers like Paul Craig, we’ve seen Borralho fight his signature fight and land the knockout punch.

If Borralho can keep de Ridder guessing, switching stances, and utilizing his elite kicking game, he will be poised for victory.

They may not possess immense star power, but for MMA fans who know the game, this co-main event is as big as it gets.

The rest of the card is filled with incredible matchups. Raul Rosas Jr. is looking to enter the bantamweight rankings as he takes on UFC veteran Rob Font. In the lightweight division, Drew Dober takes on Michael Johnson, in what will surely be fifteen minutes of fireworks.

This will be a night that will remind the world why mixed martial arts is the greatest sport on Earth, and for an in-depth breakdown following the fights, be sure to return to our page.