Max Holloway has focused on Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira on UFC 317.
The former UFC Vederweight Champion and current BMF champion has history with the UFC 317 Main Event, which Charles Oliveira defeated in 2015 and almost ten years later fell to Ilia Topuria for the title.
Apart from his first knockout loss against Topuria on UFC 308 in October, Holloway will want to defend his BMF title against Dustin Poirier on UFC 318 and again in the title Photo against the winner of Topuria vs. READING OLIVERIRA.
The empty lightweight title fight is one of the most interesting matchups of the year, split into their predictions with hunters. Top-10 candidate Mateusz Gamrot chose Oliveira because of his size benefit, while inaugural BMF champion Jorge Masvidal promotes the undefeated Topuria.
So, how does the current BMF title holder Holloway Topuria vs. Play Oliveira?
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
Max Holloway does not think that Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira gets it from the first round
Topuria and Oliveira both share a finish of almost 90%.
Topuria has never lost in 16 fights and only fell into his UFC career once. In the meantime, Oliveira is ready 8 times in his career, four by KO/TKO and four by submission.
Holloway says that the fight is closer than some think.
“If Ilia got a finish or a knockout, it wouldn't surprise me,” said Holloway about the UFC 317 headliner on his YouTube channel.
“But if Charles wins with an entry or even his own finish, even a knockout finish, it doesn't surprise me,” Holloway added.
“This fight is super in the air. Many people count Charles Oliveira, but that is when he thrives, being the underdog. I don't know how often we have called this man, and somehow he has found a way to win.
“From my perspective, this fight will definitely be probably in the first three minutes or four minutes of this fight, the first round, because Oliveira is touched. Is Ilia touching him with something that makes him cold or is it hurting him? And then he is a way to fight back. So that is the most important thing with this fight. If I am a gambling man.
“Charles Oliveira is one of the best hunters in the world to put money on an underdog. That's all I say. I don't really choose a winner here.”
Ilia Topuria poses with two belts prior to UFC 317 Title Fight
There is trust and then there is the confidence of Ilia Topuria.
The former Federweight Champion tries to make the chin of Oliveira, tries to write the former champion of featherweight history at UFC 317 as one of the few hunters who hold belts in two weight classes.
Days of his title fight, saw the 28-year-old Topuria hold two belts on his shoulders for a photo shoot, visualize what is to come.
Nadie Create and Ti Si Tú No Lo Haces Primero. Viviendo Mis Sueños Con Los Ojos Abiertos ~ ~ Nobody will believe in you if you do not first believe in yourself. Living my dreams wide awake 🌹 pic.twitter.com/wtdcud5mpo
– Ilia Topuria (@topuriailia) 26 June 2025
View tweet
“Nobody will believe in you if you do not first believe in yourself. I live my dreams wide awake,” wrote Topuria on X.