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Fight By Fight Preview | UFC 326: Holloway vs Oliveira 2
Breaking Down What’s On Tap When The BMF Title Goes On The Line This Weekend
By E. Spencer Kyte
Some numbered events are stacked with championship bouts and matchups carrying significant divisional ramifications. Others are international affairs with heaps of emerging talent from that region with a title fight topper and some juicy battles along the way.
This one? This one feels like the UFC brass woke up, chose violence and chaos, and put together a lineup full of explosive potential, and I couldn’t be more here for it. UFC 326 feels poised to be a tremendously good time at T-Mobile Arena, so let’s dive into the combustible pairings on tap, shall we?
Main Event: BMF Championship Max Holloway vs Charles Oliveira
Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the baddest MF’er of them all?
Holloway became the first person to successfully defend the BMF title by besting Dustin Poirier in his New Orleans swan song last July and now he looks to topple Oliveira for a second time as they square off in a hyper-important lightweight battle. After rebounding from his knockout loss to Ilia Topuria at UFC 317 with a stellar second-round submission win over Mateusz Gamrot in October, “Do Bronxs” aims to avenge his prior awkward loss to Holloway, claim the BMF belt, and keep himself fully in the lightweight title chase with another big win here.
There is no way this fight isn’t wildly entertaining, regardless of how long it lasts and how it plays out. These are two of the biggest names in the sport right now and two of the best of their era. Both are extremely dangerous in their own ways, both have something to prove here and something bigger their chasing beyond this contest, and the only way to get there is through the other man.
If UFC 326 plays out even remotely close to how I envision it going, this is going to be delicious conclusion to a wonderful night of action inside the Octagon.
Additional Main Card Matchups
Caio Borralho vs Reinier de Ridder
Can we just take a minute and appreciate how far the middleweight division has come in the last couple years? This is a matchup between the No. 7 and No. 8 ranked fighters in the division, when not that long ago, it would have been a title eliminator.
Congrats, middleweight!
Both Borralho and de Ridder are entering off setbacks against fellow contenders in main event assignments, and this one feels like it will answer some of the lingering questions that remain about each man. Did Borralho have an easier path towards the top of the division that masked some shortcomings and elevated his stock a little too much? How much did the torrid schedule “RDR” was pushing factor into his loss to Brendan Allen in October?
With the division in the best shape in some time, this one will help give a clearer picture of where each competitor stands and frame up what comes next for them later in the year.
Rob Font vs Raul Rosas Jr.
Originally scheduled to take place at Noche UFC in September, Font and Rosas Jr. have been rebooked here in a bout that honestly carries a little more intriguing now than it did then.
Font stayed on the card in San Antonio after Rosas Jr. was forced to withdraw, dropping a decision to David Martinez that sent him tumbling down the rankings. Rosas Jr., still just 21 years old and riding a 4-fight winning streak, gets his first chance to break into the rankings, and, with all due respect to the individuals he’s faced, his first genuine test since losing to Christian Rodriguez.
The reason I say this bout is more interesting now is because Font has taken that little step back by losing to Martinez, which makes him feel more vulnerable, and therefore creates an even greater opportunity for Rosas Jr. to grab a win and take a big step forward. At the same time, if the 21-year-old Contender Series grad struggles or falters, that result takes on a different shape given what transpired in September.
We know who Font is and what to expect from him here and in general, but now we’re going to get a deeper understand of what Rosas Jr. really brings to the table and whether he has any shot at chasing down Jon Jones’ “Youngest UFC Champion” record or not.
Drew Dober vs Michael Johnson
Dober and Johnson have made 87 combined appearances during their careers, with 57 of those fights coming inside the Octagon. There have probably been instances with a greater number of combined starts and UFC appearances — Jim Miller versus Donald Cerrone at UFC 276 for instance — but not many, and it’s gonna be fun to finally see them share the cage together this weekend at T-Mobile Arena.
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There are few competitors that are more fan-friendly than Dober when it comes to their fighting style. He’s been to the scorecards once in the last three years (nine fights), almost exclusively throws hands, and generally ends up bleeding or making his opponent bleed. Johnson has made far more trips to the scorecards but is also constantly willing to engage and carries a real “could finish you or get finished” vibe into the Octagon every time he competes.
If this one doesn’t produce some kind of bonus at the end of the night, I will be shocked, but it will most likely also mean we’ve had the kind of frenetic and entertaining night I’m anticipating.
Gregory Rodrigues vs Brunno Ferreira
Adding to the “man, middleweight is really good right now” thoughts from the co-main event is the main card opener between these two Brazilian finishers that have already shared the Octagon once before.
Rodrigues has won two straight, has gnarly power and excellent grappling, and vengeance on his mind given that Ferreira knocked him out the first time they met at UFC 283. Meanwhile, “The Hulk” has won three in a row, went the distance for the first time in a grinder with Marvin Vettori in July, but is still a step behind “Robocop” in the divisional ranks.
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You felt the weight of the explosive potential each man carries throughout the first meeting, which had a few periods of flurries and scrambles, but was largely one of those “anxiously waiting for something to happen” fights right up until Ferreira put a left hand on Rodrigues’ chin and knocked him out cold. Both have improved since then, so expect to feel the same nervous tension when they renew acquaintances on Saturday.
Preliminary Card Pairings
Cody Garbrandt vs Xaio Long
This is such a fascinating fight and a great way to close the prelims, as Garbrandt remains an established name, even if he’s not a contender at this stage, while Xiao is both a great dance partner and potentially disastrous opponent for “No Love” in this one.
Garbrandt still has fast hands and some definite pop against the right guys, but the movement and dynamism that made him such a must-see fighter in his prime has largely evaporated. Xiao will give him every chance to get loose with his hands and dial up a knockout for old time’s sake, but he’s also shown plenty of durability and tenacity, which could be poison for the now 34-year-old former titleholder.
Donte Johnson vs Cody Brundage
We get one more glimpse at how the middleweight division has come a long way here as one of the more intriguing prospects in the 185-pound ranks squares off with another experienced hand in his second UFC start.
Johnson is 7-0 and coming off a second-round submission win in his promotional debut last November. He has good size and athleticism, some clear pop given that he’s put guys out at heavyweight, and the kind of solid base and raw materials where you can see an avenue where he develops into a Top 15 fighter. Brundage is a solid test as a short-notice replacement as he’s got finishing abilities and far more experience, plus he’s up against it a little, entering on a 3-fight run without a victory.
Ricky Turcios vs Alberto Montes
This is a classic “what do we actually have here?” kind of matchups between a pair of graduates from UFC shoulder programs looking to start the year on a positive note.
Turcios won the bantamweight tournament on TUF 29, beating Brady Hiestand, who has looked good when healthy. His first two losses in the UFC came against Aiemann Zahabi and Raul Rosas Jr., both of which are look much different now. Montes has a slick submission win on Season 8 of Dana White’s Contender Series, but hasn’t fought since, and fought the kind of slate on the regional circuit that makes it difficult to know exactly what he brings to the table until he’s in there against someone that provides a real frame of reference, as Turcios will here.
Cody Durden vs Nyamjargal Tumendemberel
A pair of flyweights meet up looking to garner some momentum early in 2026 as the division continues to shuffle and fill with fresh talent at the top, as evidenced by Lone'er Kavanagh's win over Brandon Moreno in Mexico City.
Cody Durden has some solid wins on his resume since joining the roster in August 2020, including wins over Charles Johnson and Matt Schnell. However, the win over Schnell in September 2024 was his latest, and he has lost three in a row since. Nyamjargal Tumendemberel is coming off a win on Road to UFC in August 2025 when he submitted Terrance Saeteurn in the first round and is keen to score his first official UFC victory in Las Vegas.
Sumudaerji vs Jesus Aguilar
Flyweight has been having an even bigger glow-up than middleweight over the last couple years and the fact this is a matchup between unranked combatants illustrates that beautifully.
Sumudaerji has won each of his last two outings and, despite being eight years into his UFC tenure, is still just 30 years old. Fighting winning twice last year might be the indication that he’s finally putting all the pieces together. Aguilar is 4-2 inside the Octagon with a couple first-round finishes and losses to title challenger Tatsuro Taira and unbeaten Brazilian Rafal Estevam. These are fringe Top 15 fighters as of now and the winner could be fighting for a place in the rankings next time out.
Rafael Tobias vs Diyar Nurgozhay
The first of two matchups between DWCS grads in the light heavyweight division is an international affair between Brazil and Kazakhstan that has a high potential for ending inside the distance.
The 22-year-old Tobias has won six straight, five of them by stoppage, and is one of those young kids that might just need a little seasoning to develop into a full-grown monster, because he already looks the part now. Nurgozhay went 10-0 before arriving in the UFC, earning all but two of those wins inside the distance and seven of them in the first round. Having dropped two straight, you know he’s coming out hot looking to stem the tide and collect his first UFC victory, which ratchets up the chances of this one finishing early.
JeongYeong Lee vs Gaston Bolanos
The bar for Fight of the Night honors at UFC 326 should be set early in the evening when Lee and Bolanos take to the Octagon in this featherweight fixture.
Lee’s 2024 brawl with Hyder Amil was a 65-second banger and he showed in his other outings that he’s capable to engaging in grimy, tenacious battles as well. Bolanos moves back to featherweight, where he competed prior to landing in the UFC, after a 2-2 run in the 135-pound ranks where he too showed a willingness to engage in entertaining affairs. The bonus baseline gets set by this one, for sure.
Luke Fernandez vs Rodolfo Bellato
Business kicks off in the light heavyweight ranks with the second DWCS grad tussle of the night featuring an intriguing new addition the roster.
Fernandez earned his contract in 15 seconds, land a sharp jab before dropping his opponent with a crispy overhand right and sealing the deal with quick coffin nails, moving to 6-0 in the process. He’s unbeaten in 12 starts between his amateur and pro careers, fought for a top regional promotion in CFFC and is the kind of well-rounded debutant I just want to see more from. Bellato has had one of the stranger runs in the UFC of late, battling back to earn a draw against Jimmy Crute before his no contest with Paul Craig last June and a loss to Navajo Stirling in November.
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UFC Fight Night 268 - Moreno vs. Kavanagh
