End of the BMF? Oliveira vs. Holloway and the future of the UFC title

The UFC’s BMF title carries a lot of pressure and connotation. A wild and unrestricted fight is expected every time the BMF belt is on the line. However, many UFC fans didn’t get what they expected on Saturday, when Charles Oliveira controlled Max Holloway for five rounds, on his way to becoming the new BMF champion.

Have time and speculation diminished the luster of the UFC’s most singular honor? Is there any Irish megastar who can bring back the appeal?

These questions and others about the 21-year-old phenomenon, Raul Rosas Jr., and the leader of Fighting Nerds, Caio Borralho, arose after the performances on the main card of UFC 326 in Las Vegas.

It’s time to retire the BMF belt

Max Holloway, left, and Charles Oliveira put on a different kind of fight for the BMF title than UFC fans expect. The BMF idea has worked exceptionally well since 2019. The UFC and its fans couldn’t have asked for more. It has showcased all the most appropriate names and provided some all-time classic moments. At some point, the magic would end. The more the UFC exhibits the belt, the less relevant its history will feel, which would be a real shame, given everything we’ve just mentioned. The BMF recognized the attitude, stardom, and fun of Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal in 2019. It created a platform for Holloway’s gesture and gave additional meaning to Dustin Poirier’s last walk. It became one of the best moments of Justin Gaethje’s career. Now, it’s time to finish it. I really can’t think of an appropriate name for Oliveira to face next with the belt on the line. The only option would be Conor McGregor, which would be fine; but if the UFC made that fight, I don’t think anyone would care if the belt was attached. If the UFC wants to keep the title for a McGregor fight, great. We’ll accept Oliveira against McGregor under any circumstances we can get. But beyond that, retire the BMF while it still has meaning.

— Brett Okamoto

Borralho scores a victory, but made no declaration

Facing a fellow top 10 ranked resident of your weight division is an opportunity to separate yourself from the crowd, but the co-main event Caio Borralho versus Reinier de Ridder didn’t do much for either middleweight. Borralho took the victory, recovering from a September defeat that had stopped a 17-fight undefeated streak. Getting back on the right track is positive, but he got very tired towards the end of the three-round fight. He hurt de Ridder with punches a couple of times, but Borralho never seemed close to knocking out his opponent. It was not a memorable performance. As for de Ridder, this was a continuation of the rollercoaster ride he’s been on since signing with the UFC in 2024. He won in his first four Octagon appearances, including a TKO of the promising Bo Nickal and an eye-opening victory over former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker. But the hype train crashed into a brick wall in October, when de Ridder ran out of gas against Brendan Allen and his corner stopped the fight. On Saturday, de Ridder looked mediocre again. The real winners of this fight are the fighters above de Ridder and Borralho in the 185-pound rankings, including Nassourdine Imavov and Sean Strickland, who don’t need to worry about being overtaken in the title picture.

— Jeff Wagenheim

Roses still have a lot to learn

Raúl Rosas Jr., 21, secured the biggest victory of his career by sweeping the scorecards against 38-year-old veteran Rob Font. Rosas secured a total of 16 takedowns, a new record in men’s bantamweight fights over three rounds. He accumulated more than 10 minutes of control time and will likely enter the UFC rankings next week.

Raul Rosas Jr., above, has big goals, but he still has a lot to learn. As important as it was for him to win this fight, there are still many questions about Rosas’ preparation to compete at the highest level in the bantamweight division. Rosas showed excellent grappling and superior control, but played it extremely safe against an opponent who posed no threat on the ground. If he really wants to retire at 25 after becoming champion, as Rosas has continually said, his offense needs to evolve. Fighters like Umar Nurmagomedov, Cory Sandhagen, and Mario Bautista have a more diverse skillset that will be difficult for Rosas to combat. Even so, Rosas is young and shows a lot of promise. Rosas’ striking and finishing skills are expected to improve over time, but the idea that he only has four years left in MMA doesn’t sound realistic if he wants to reach his best self.

— Andreas Hale