Holloway vs Oliveira: Next steps after UFC 318 and Costa’s future

Max Holloway Defends BMF Title in Thrilling UFC 318

In a memorable UFC 318 event in New Orleans, Max Holloway successfully defended the BMF title. Lil Wayne, the musical legend, was in charge of placing the belt on Holloway, who faced Dustin Poirier. The latter, after the fight, announced his retirement, leaving his gloves in the center of the octagon. The defense of the BMF title and its future are yet to be defined, but Holloway has shown the skill and drive needed to hold it for a considerable time. Several fighters could be the next contenders for Holloway’s belt, but there is one who stands out due to his current position outside the lightweight title contention.

Possible Challenges for Holloway and Other UFC 318 Standouts

Among the fighters who shone at UFC 318, Paulo Costa and Patricio Pitbull stand out, who returned to the path of victory on the main card.

Max Holloway, Lightweight

Image caption: Lil Wayne, on the left, places the BMF belt on Max Holloway after his victory over Dustin Poirier at UFC 318 in New Orleans.

The next logical opponent for Holloway is Charles Oliveira.

Although the BMF title is not the priority, it has value in the current situation. Holloway remains at lightweight and seems to be in good shape, but he will not have a title opportunity against Ilia Topuria in the near future. While settling in the category, a campaign for the BMF will not hurt him. Oliveira is the next obvious opponent, also well-ranked but out of the title contention after losing against Topuria at UFC 317.

Holloway and Oliveira have history, having fought once in 2015, when they were both young in featherweight. Holloway won by TKO after an Oliveira injury. A rematch is expected from Holloway, making it the most logical option. An alternative option would be Dan Hooker, although the fight against Oliveira is preferred. A match between Hooker and Arman Tsarukyan would also be interesting, if Tsarukyan doesn’t get the next title opportunity.

Paulo Costa, Middleweight

Image caption: Paulo Costa, on the left, looked in shape and focused on his victory over Roman Kopylov, on the right, at UFC 318.The next opponent for Costa should be Brendan Allen. It was positive to see a focused and in-shape Costa. Although Roman Kopylov is a legitimate middleweight, the division is more entertaining with a relevant Costa. He hasn’t been the same since his defeat against Israel Adesanya five years ago, but against Kopylov, he showed himself measured and in shape. The right matchup is against Allen, who also obtained a good victory over Marvin Vettori. Both fighters have great confidence and, stylistically, the fight would be attractive. An alternative option would be Khamzat Chimaev.

If Chimaev loses against Dricus du Plessis in a middleweight title fight at UFC 319, this could be the next step. If Chimaev wins the belt, this fight wouldn’t make sense, but if he loses, why postpone it any further? The original matchup was missed in October 2023 and there’s a lot of history between them, including physical encounters. The UFC should schedule it again when appropriate, possibly this fall.

Patricio Pitbull, Peso Pluma

Image caption: Patricio Pitbull, on the right, achieved his first UFC victory at UFC 318 against Dan Ige, on the left.

The next opponent for Pitbull should be Aaron Pico. Pitbull showed stability in his second UFC appearance. Previously, he was a long-time Bellator MMA champion. Pico was a prodigy in Bellator, then a failure, and later a rising contender who was on the verge of a title fight in 2023, when the company went through a renovation.

Although this fight was expected in Bellator, it still makes sense in UFC. The situation in the featherweight division is fluid, with champion Alexander Volkanovski without a scheduled fight and Movsar Evloev withdrawing from his match against Pico. Pitbull expressed his desire to fight against Pico, so it’s the right time.

An alternative option would be Youssef Zalal. Pitbull has a more extensive professional record than Zalal, but he only has one win and one loss in the UFC and is not close to a title fight. Despite any victory over Dan Ige, Pitbull has not stood out in the UFC. Meanwhile, Zalal is looking to add names to his list. There is potential for both fighters in this matchup.