BMF champion Max Holloway has options after beating Dustin Poirier on UFC 318.
UFC 318 was no ordinary pay-per-view event. The map was specially built around the pension fight of Dustin Poirier for his home crowd in New Orleans, Louisiana, with fans present who were tribute to the former UFC -Interim light weight champion.
Poirier met double rival Holloway for his BMF title in the main event of the evening. Despite an almost finish for 'The Diamond' in the second round, Poirier would lose from Holloway through a unanimous decision.
Holloway wrote history as the first hunter to successfully defended the silver 'worst mother' of the UFC on Saturday.
Although some have called to 'retire' the BMF title such as Poirier, there is a good opportunity that defends Holloway the broadly popular BMF belt a second time.
Bloody Elbow arranges the top 3 BMF title fights for Max Holloway after beating Poirier.
Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC
3. Dan hooker
Dan Hooker is one of the most violent hunters in the lightweight division.
The #7-ranking competitor recently played a new magazine at 155 pounds and went from a 1-4 brief to a three-field win racing with heavily fought victories over Mateusz Gamrot, Jalin Turner and Claudio Puelles.
Hooker was initially planned to face Justin Gaethje in a very praised matchup on UFC 313, but was forced with a broken hand from the fight.
What makes Hooker worthy of a BMF title fight? His back-to-back wars with Dustin Poirier and Paul Felder from years ago, with both fights that receive fight-of-the-night awards.
Hooker's five-round main event with Poirier in 2020 is considered the best fight to take place in the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Hooker also had one of the best fights last year when he fought against Gamrot tooth-and-Nail.
2. Charles Oliveira
There has been a rematch between Charles Oliveira and Max Holloway for a long time.
Oliveira and Holloway fought for the first time in 2015 in featherweight. But it was hardly a fight because Oliveira sustained a freak neck injury for a minute in the opening round and as a result Holloway was declared the winner by TKO.
With lightweight, Oliveira almost surpassed the profit stripes of Holloway (13) and Tony Ferguson (12) with 11-Straight victories.
Oliveira's CV shouts 'BMF' with Stoppage wins on Michael Chandler, Dustin Poirier and former BMF champion Justin Gaethje.
Oliveira comes from a KO loss for Ilia Topuria on UFC 317, but recent losses did not stop Poirier and Holloway from fighting a third time at UFC 318.
1. Ilia Topuria
For whatever reason, UFC Lightweight Champion Ilia Topuria did not get the chance to fight for the BMF title of Holloway on UFC 309 in October.
The 16-0 Topuria is on one of the best stripes in UFC history, in which they have eliminated the eights of all time, all time, Alexander Volkanovski, Holloway and recently Oliveira.
If Topuria was not worth the then to combat Holloway for the BMF title, the champion is sure now.
“Yes, I do that,” White said, when he was asked if Topuria was done enough to fight for the BMF title.
Topuria Trolde Holloway after his BMF title defense against Poirier and said that the belt is 'still mine'.