Charles Oliveira thinks Conor McGregor chose Max Holloway over him as his UFC 329 comeback fight.
McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) will step into the octagon after five years away on July 11 when he rematches Holloway (27-9 MMA, 23-9 UFC) in a five-round welterweight bout at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (Paramount+).
Given Oliveira (37-11 MMA, 25-11 UFC) is coming off a dominant win over Holloway at UFC 326 in March, a showdown with McGregor would’ve been welcomed for the Brazilian, who has been calling for the bout for years. Why isn’t it? Oliveira said there’s a simple explanation.
“He actually asked for the fight to be three rounds, and he picked the opponent,” Oliveira told Action Network in a recent interview. “Because, in reality, everyone knows that fight was supposed to be against me, but he chose the opponent. … That’s part of the game. You’ve got to choose what you think is best for you.”
Is Max Holloway a better return option for Conor McGregor?
Oliveira admits it’s probably best for McGregor to fight Holloway instead of himself, but only if he can land big and land early. He sees the chances of victory dropping dramatically for “The Notorious” if the fight goes beyond the opening round.
Ultimately, though, even if Oliveira isn’t the one standing across the octagon, the Brazilian thinks McGregor returning to the UFC is only good for the sport.
“Honestly, I think the first round will tell us a lot,” Oliveira said. “Max is a guy who’s been going five rounds in his recent fights. He handles five rounds very well. Conor has been inactive for a long time. … If he doesn’t get the knockout or put on a very dominant performance in the first round, then the later rounds tend to favor Max Holloway because of his speed and because he won’t need to cut weight.
“But, as I always say, Conor is one of the guys who made history and helped raise the profile of the sport. The arena is going to be packed. It’s going to be magical.”
