Round one begins with Charles Oliveira throwing two stinging kicks to Max Holloway’s left calf. After just 30 seconds Oliveira has Holloway pressed against the cage with a combination and immediately shoots for the takedown, assuming side control.
Oliveira gets back to his feet and comes back down with a firmer side control and two elbows to the head. Oliveira is on Holloway’s back, looking for the choke as Holloway get to his feet. Holloway goes back down with the lock cinched in, though Holloway keeps his chin tucked and manages to maneuver out of it.
Oliveira re-assumes control over the back of Holloway looking for the choke. Oliveira hits a left against the side of Holloway’s head from the rear position. Holloway maneuvers upright with Oliveira still on his back against the cage, still looking for the rear choke with just a minute of the first round to go. Oliveira falls backward in the neck crank, but Holloway survives it and smiles at the camera while on the ground.
10-second clapper goes and Holloway looks confident he will survive the round. He does so as the buzzer goes off to signal the end of round one.
Round two begins with an exchange in the middle, and Holloway ups the tempo before going for a front kick and getting taken down. Oliveira continues to smother Holloway on the ground and against the cage, maneuvering to the back of Holloway once again for the rear naked choke.
Oliveira lets go of the choke and lands some hammerfists, maintaining control over the back of Holloway going for the choke once more. Holloway adopts a cross-guard to block the choke but only gets elbows for it, and Oliveira goes for the choke once again with the space created. Oliveira now has the arm across Holloway’s chin as he lands shots to the other side of his face. Oliveira has maintained over five minutes of back control thus far.
Holloway tries to stand up but gets pulled back down by Oliveira, and his forehead is now cut open as the round comes to an end.
In between rounds, Holloway’s corner is telling him to focus on the stand-up game and box with Oliveira. Oliveira’s corner is confident they have won both rounds.
Round three begins with Oliveira landing a solid kick to the body. Holloway comes back with a right and some jabs and manages to avoid another takedown against the cage. Oliveira is happy to continue throwing punches in the clinch, looking for the takedown. Oliveira lifts Holloway and makes a mid-air adjustment to drop him and gain the side control.
Oliveira maneuvers into full mount as he looks for an arm triangle. Holloway is landing left elbows into the ribs of Oliveira but they’re not doing much. Oliveira continues to smother Holloway on the ground, seemingly set on the arm triangle. Round three ends with Oliveira throwing some tomahawk elbows from full mount.
Round four begins with Oliveira throwing a kick just below the belt, prompting the referee to step in. The pair continue to exchange on their feet before Oliveira goes for another takedown, which he gets after a little struggling from Holloway. Oliveira landing some knees to the ribs from the side control, looking for the arm triangle again.
Oliveira continues to combine those knees with elbows to the face, but the cage is preventing him from getting the triangle in. Oliveira once again assumes control of the back after Holloway tries to maneuver away from the cage.
Oliveira starts digging his heel into Holloway as he looks for the rear choke, and Holloway visibly looks at the clock as he defends. Holloway grabs Oliveira’s wrists and creates some space, but Oliveira goes back to the rear choke while continuing to strike the side of his opponent’s head.
Round four ends with Oliveira in control.
The final round begins with an embrace between the opponents. They then get stuck in to the stand-up exchange, and Holloway gets the takedown on Oliveira. From the ground Oliveira looks for Holloway’s ankle. All Holloway can do is throw some hammerfists to the top of his head.
Holloway tries to make it to his feet but Oliveira keeps control of his leg and brings him back to the floor. Now he has Holloway mounted. Oliveira has now clocked over 19 minutes of control in this fight thus far, with just over a minute to go.
Holloway manages to get back to his feet with 20 seconds to go, but Oliveira maintains waist control. They get stuck into a striking exchange but the buzzer goes off to signal the end of the bout.
Charles Oliveira def. Max Holloway via Unanimous Decision to win the BMF Championship (50-45; 50-45; 50-45)
Oliveira has a message for Hunter Campbell after the fight: If there is room for another fight on the White House card then he knows where he is.
Holloway promises to return and chase another title. He tells Oliveira he will see him again soon.
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