Charles Oliveira takes BMF title from Max Holloway at UFC 326, nearly 11 years after first meeting

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Charles Oliveira finally avenged a loss that has stuck with him mentally by unanimously outpointing Max Holloway on Saturday night to win the BMF title.

It took nearly 11 years.

All five judges scored the fight 50-45, in favor of Oliveira (37-11), as the third-ranked lightweight controlled the bout from the outset.

Holloway (27-9), who closed a -235 favorite at BetMGM Sportsbook, won the first meeting on Aug. 23, 2015, after Oliveira susained an esophageal injury less than two minutes after the fight began.

Holloway, 34, who is ranked fourth in the lightweight division, was never able to get into his own rhythm with Oliveira’s relentless approach landed more strikes while working his way into superior positions on the ground.

Nevertheless, the new BMF champion was respectful of one of the most respected fighters in the sport.

“Max is the toughest guy I’ve ever fought against,” said Oliveira, 36, holding his son tight with his wife standing next to him during the post-fight interview. “I had to come here and dominate.”

Oliveira, whose family was in attendance for the first time to see him fight in the United States, needed only 30 seconds into the bout to go on the attack before slamming Holloway on his back. Oliveira would control much of the first round while looking to apply a rear-naked choke, but Holloway continued to break free, much to the delight of the sold-out crowd, which erupted when he looked into the camera and smiled with 30 seconds left in the round.

The second, third and fourth rounds were much of the same once they hit the canvas, as Oliveira controlled the action and Holloway weathered shots to his head and legs, and subsequent attempts to apply a submission chokehold.

After the two embraced momentarily at the start of the fifth round, Oliveira came out swinging, and it was Holloway who ended up on top as the two hit the ground, for the first two minutes. Oliveira ended up in Holloway’s guard for the final stretch.

The long stretches of little to no action brought out the boo-birds for the Holloway-favored crowd.

“I respect you so much,” Oliveira said, directing his comments toward Holloway. “We’re different than other people. These dudes come here and talk a lot of crap. We come here and do a lot of beautiful things.

“If this division has two BMF’s, those BMF’s are Charles Oliveira and Max Holloway.”

The UFC introduced the BMF belt on Nov. 2, 2019. While it’s not identified by a weight class, and its name is unprintable by the standards of The Associated Press and most media outlets, it’s held by the fighter who most exemplifies the ferocity and electricity that define the sport.

Billed as the co-main event, albeit only a three-round middleweight bout, seventh-ranked Caio Borralho (18-2-0) beat No. 8 Reinier de Ridder (21-4-0). After surviving a knee to the groin in the first round, Borralho fought his fight, avoiding the ground for the most part while standing toe-to-toe for most of the match. All three judges scored the fight 30-27.

From the rest of the undercard, unranked Raul Rosas Jr. (12-1) outpointed 13th-ranked bantamweight Rob Font (22-10) in what was a rather one-sided, uneventful fight. All three judges scored the bout 30-27 for a unanimous decision.

In a scheduled three-round lightweight bout, Drew Dober delivered consecutive left-handed blows to the face of Michael Johnson to end the fight at the 1:53 mark of the second round. Setting up the first blow with a right-handed feint, Dober (29-15) followed with a powerful left that dropped Johnson (25-20) on his back. Dober immediately pounced by coming straight down with another left to end the bout with a knockout.

With one thunderous right to the jaw, 13th-ranked middleweight Gregory Rodrigues (19-6) scored a first-round knockout of No. 15 Brunno Ferreira (15-3) at the 1:47 mark of their scheduled three-round bout. As Ferrieira made the switch to southpaw, Rodrigues didn’t hesitate with a counter right that dropped his opponent and sent an instant glaze over his face.

AP MMA: https://apnews.com/hub/mixed-martial-arts

Drew Dober, left, connects with a punch that knocks down Michael Johnson, right, in the second round of a lightweight mixed martial arts bout during UFC 326, Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Las Vegas. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)

Raul Rosas Jr., top, grapples with Rob Font, bottom, in a bantamweight mixed martial arts bout during UFC 326, Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Las Vegas. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)

Caio Borralho, left, is declared the winner over Reinier de Ridder in a middleweight bout during UFC 326 Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Las Vegas. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)

Max Holloway, foreground, grapples with Charles Oliveira in a lightweight fight during UFC 326 Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Las Vegas. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)

Charles Oliveira, right, punches Max Holloway in a lightweight fight during UFC 326 Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Las Vegas. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)/Las Vegas Sun via AP)

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) — Xander Schauffele entered Saturday with a chance at the U.S. Open lead, but poor putting and a pair of double bogeys left him seven strokes behind leader Wyndham Clark.

Now, tied for sixth place at even par, the two-time major winner and career U.S. Open scoring leader was among the chorus of chasers at Shinnecock Hills saying it was Clark’s tournament to lose.

Only Arnold Palmer in 1960 has overcome a seven-stroke deficit to win a U.S. Open.

“It’s all in Wyndham’s hands, really,” Schauffele said. “If he plays a really solid round of golf tomorrow, if he shoots even par or 1 over or 2 over, he’s going to win the golf tournament. That’s how I think it’s going to pan out.”

Schauffele followed a near-flawless 66 on Friday with a 73 on Saturday. He started the third round at 3 under and was only three behind after Clark bogeyed the first hole.

But Schauffele soon went backward, with bogeys on the third and sixth holes bookending a birdie on five. Things got worse on the back nine, with two double bogeys in a three-hole stretch.

On 10, Schauffele put his tee shot in the rough, his approach in the sand and rolled his bunker shot off the back of the elevated green. On 12, he three-putted after stops in the rough and a bunker short of the green.

After sinking a combined 126 feet of putts on Friday, Schauffele made just 47 feet of putts Saturday. His longest was just 6 1/2 feet.

Schauffele ranks 48th on the PGA Tour this season in strokes gained putting, 101st in putts per round and 115th in putting average.

Birdies on 13 and 15 and a sand save for par on 11 salvaged Schauffele’s day. Or, as he described it to reporters afterward, “kind of a long day, U.S. Open day."

“It was kind of a little bit of everything, to be honest,” Schauffele said. “Kind of a slow start. Then had a bad stretch of golf there 10 through 12. I hit a great bunker shot on 11, but could have been worse, I guess.”

“Then I was just trying to get back into touch. Wyndham is playing great, and he’s at 8 under, and kind of the rest of the herd is trailing by a lot, and I’m one of them.”

Schauffele plays exceptionally well in the U.S. Open, but hasn't won the tournament.

He finished in the top 10 in seven of his nine previous appearances, including a tie for third in 2019, and owns the best scoring average among players with at least 20 rounds. His worst finish was a tie for 14th in 2022.

“The way this tournament is panning out, if I can — in my mind, if I can get to 4 or 5 under, that would be all-world,” Schauffele said. “I’m not even sure if that’s possible tomorrow.”

Xander Schauffele waves after his putt on the fourth hole during the third round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y., Saturday, June 20, 2026.(AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Xander Schauffele hits from the bunker on the second hole during the third round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y., Saturday, June 20, 2026.(AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Xander Schauffele watches his tee shot on the sixth hole during the third round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y., Saturday, June 20, 2026.(AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Xander Schauffele hits from the bunker on the sixth hole during the third round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y., Saturday, June 20, 2026.(AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Xander Schauffele watches his tee shot on the 17th hole during the third round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y., Saturday, June 20, 2026.(AP Photo/David J. Phillip)