Young Guns Taking Aim: Why Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira Should Step Into Each Other’s Sights

By Raphael Garcia

One of the biggest attractions in combat sports is the moment that top prospects are set against each other. The UFC’s featherweight division has two individuals that would fill this role, much to the appreciation of fight fans throughout the world. Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira are two of the most exciting combatants in the game today, and putting them in the Octagon against one another is sure to create the kind of fireworks that would steal the spotlight on any show.

Oliveira, 25, and Holloway, 23, represent the “new blood” that is slowly taking over the sport. These two men have been on impressive runs as of late and throughout most of their tenures within the UFC. Holloway joined the promotion on late notice to face Dustin Poirier at UFC 143 in 2012. He would be stopped by submission in the first round. However, that hiccup in performance would not be enough to stop “Blessed” from putting together a 9-3 record under Zuffa employ. Now, he’s reached the point of being the eighth-ranked competitor at 145 pounds, and he’s looking to face the best that the weight division has to offer.

This is where “Do Bronx” should enter the conversation. While he is not as highly-ranked as Holloway, he has put together a win streak that deserves some attention. And after extending his win streak to four with a submission victory over Nik Lentz at UFC Fight Night 67, he’s solidified his top-ten ranking within the weight class. Even though he’s suffered defeats to Cub Swanson and Frankie Edgar, he still has a lot of potential within the UFC featherweight division, and matching him with Holloway could yield a few different outcomes.

First, this would help prove to the masses that the winner of the fight is someone that deserves their attention. Holloway has strung together six wins in a row and can expect a title shot if he can squeeze out at least two more wins. That path can be expedited if he can get a win over Oliveira and a fighter such as Ricardo Lamas, or even Chad Mendes. Wins such as these are the final pieces of a resume that would allow a fighter in Holloway’s position to push his name to the front of the line.

Second, if Oliveira finds a way to pull out the victory, the UFC would have another Brazilian fan favorite that the promotion can build around at a time in which many of the biggest stars from that country are falling by the wayside. Other than Jose Aldo, Renan Barao, and Rafael Dos Anjos, Brazil has struggled to produce new stars that the UFC can promote. Oliveira is right on the edge of becoming a name that can be added to that short list. While there are still some hurdles, a win over Holloway would clearly be the biggest win in his career.

The main event of UFC 189 between Aldo and Conor McGregor stands to be the biggest fight the UFC featherweight division has ever seen, and as the UFC continues to work out what will happen in its aftermath, there is one potential matchup that would help open up the weight class. Pairing Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira would benefit both men, and the promotion as a whole. Regardless of who won the fight, these exciting prospects would leave a lasting impression on fans, and end up bigger stars because of it.