Charles Oliveira Is At A Crossroads

Charles Oliveira (33-9, 1 NC) has promised that a rematch with Max Holloway (26-7) will take place “at some point,” but his career is at a crossroads.

They fought in August 2015, with Holloway being awarded the victory after Oliveira suffered an esophagus injury. Oliveira, who is coming off a first-round knockout loss to Ilia Topuria at UFC 317 in June in a failed bid to reclaim the UFC Lightweight Title, is eager to get back into the Octagon. He will face Rafael Fiziev on October 11. As for Holloway (26-7), he is expected to be sidelined for the remainder of 2025 after picking up an injury in his unanimous decision victory over Dustin Poirier in June at UFC 318. Oliveira, though, expects to run things back with Max.

“Man, I think everyone wants to see that fight. It’s definitely going to happen at some point. Whatever people say doesn’t really matter to me. Everybody knows I was injured. I spent two days in the hospital, why would I do that for nothing? That’s just part of the game. He’s a great fighter. He’s the BMF champ. So why not make it happen later on? For now, let’s stay focused on this fight, and then we’ll see,” Oliveira said 

The Challenges

Oliveira is currently at a critical crossroads in his career. The most pressing issue is his recent loss to Ilia Topuria at UFC 317, which was a devastating first-round knockout. Previously, Oliveira’s momentum was at an all-time high, culminating in his WBA Lightweight Championship win in 2021 against Michael Chandler at UFC 262. However, the loss to Topuria, a fighter who has quickly become a dominant force, has sent him back down the rankings to fourth at lightweight and 15th on the P4P list. 

Another major hurdle for Oliveira is the quick turnaround for his upcoming fight against Rafael Fiziev on October 11. While some may see this as a sign of his desire to get back in the octagon and prove himself, it also presents a significant risk. A short training camp following a knockout loss is a dangerous proposition.

Furthermore, a loss to Fiziev, a fighter ranked below him, would be a catastrophic blow to his career, likely pushing him far out of the title picture and making it incredibly difficult to justify another championship opportunity in the near future. 

Finally, Oliveira’s ambition for a rematch with Max Holloway, while understandable, is a difficult proposition to navigate. Holloway himself is now facing a significant injury that is expected to sideline him for the rest of 2025. This means that a potential rematch is on hold for the foreseeable future. In the meantime, the lightweight division is not standing still. Fighters like Ilia Topuria, Arman Tsarukyan, and Justin Gaethje are all vying for a shot at the championship.