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Max Holloway slams old UFC rival for making excuses after loss

Originally posted on MMA on SI | By Mathew Riddle | Last updated Jul 21, 2025 8:30 AM ET

Max Holloway's next fight could be coming to fruition, as the BMF champion put an old rival on blast for making excuses for their loss in 2015.

'Blessed' is in a tough spot, being a potential contender for the lightweight throne, while being knocked out by the current champion, Ilia Topuria, last October in their featherweight title fight.

Options are open for Holloway, however, as fans ruminate on a possible BMF fight in lieu of an undisputed shot, letting Holloway build more merit for a rematch and allowing the lightweight division to keep moving. One such name is Charles Oliveira, whom Holloway defeated by injury in 2015.

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'No idea what the hell he's talking about' ... Holloway snubs Oliveira's injury claims

One little-known fact is Oliveira and Holloway crossed paths in the main event of UFC Fight Night 74 in 2015. Holloway walked away with a first-round victory after Oliveira claimed an esophagus injury, which allegedly left one side of his body paralyzed for four hours.

"It was four hours without moving the left side," Oliveira told Combate. "Everything went through my head. I was afraid of being crippled. I was sad, I cried like hell."

Ten years later and seventeen* title fights between them, Holloway and Oliveira could be on another collision course. *sixteen if you discount Oliveira's weight miss at UFC 274

Defending BMF champion Holloway fired a shot at Oliveira following his win at UFC 318.

"There's also Oliveira," Holloway told UFC. "I heard he was yapping saying he was injured in our first fight. . . . But last time I checked, when they did a follow-up and wanted to find what the injury was, there was no injury... They said he was fine.

"I have no idea what the hell he's talking about."