Fans react to Charles Oliveira’s BMF title win over Max Holloway.
If the title is to continue beyond last Saturday’s main event, fans want the UFC to implement some BMF laws.
Charles Oliveira beat Max Holloway at UFC 326, but the manner in which the Brazilian got the job done has divided the fanbase.
‘Do Bronx’ added the BMF belt to his résumé with a grappling-heavy display, accumulating over 20 minutes of control time.
Is that how a BMF should be crowned? UFC fans have had their say, and many are calling for change.
The BMF title was created to celebrate fighters who bring an edge or attitude that sets them apart from traditional championship belts. But after Saturday’s fight, some fans feel it might need a few adjustments.
Fans Want a ‘Stand and Bang’ Rule for BMF Fights After Charles Oliveira’s UFC 326 Win
Bloody Elbow readers have been taking part in a TalkingPoints discussion following Oliveira’s win in the UFC 326 main event, kicked off by the prompt: “Change my mind: Charles Oliveira killed the BMF title with his performance.”
The responses topped 1,000, with a fair number of them unhappy about how the fight played out.
“When you wrestle for the BMF it’s officially dead! You’re not a BMF unless you throw hands.”
A lot of fans felt that way, and some even offered ideas on how future title fights could avoid similar outcomes. Some fans even proposed changes to prevent fights like that from happening again, specifically when it comes to decisions.
“UFC should incorporate different rules for BMF if it’s to stay legit. Title can only pass to the next champion if they win by strikes or submission, decisions will still count for their fight records but you literally need to ‘beat the man to be the man’.”
“Change the rules. Only a win by KO will get you the BMF belt. Anything else just counts as a regular win.”
“They should make a change to the ruleset for this belt. Title can only change hands via stoppage. Going the distance is a draw.”
“It should be a stand and bang exclusive to go with the BJJ belt.”
“I’d make this rule change for BMF: must have a finish or be a war, otherwise the belt moves and spawns in a new weight class.”
“2 minute time limit per round for ground work. After 2 minutes are reached on the ground they must stand up the rest of the round. It’s mixed martial arts, mix it up!”
“BMF is a different degree of belt. It should be a stand and bang matchup only.”
Who’s next for Charles Oliveira after UFC 326?
There’s another TalkingPoints thread about who Oliveira should face next, and it’s already gaining traction.
After taking home the BMF belt, his path forward isn’t clear. However, there are plenty of matchups that would grab attention. Could ‘Do Bronx’ be the one to welcome Conor McGregor back? How about another shot at the lightweight title against the winner of Ilia Topuria vs Justin Gaethje? Maybe even a bout with Paddy Pimblett?
Let us know where you stand in this discussion – drop your pick in the comments below.
So far, Oliveira has come up short twice in his quest to reclaim the lightweight title, suffering losses to both Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria.
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