Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) featherweight rising stars Charles Oliveira and Max Holloway will collide at the upcoming UFC Fight Night 74 event on Aug. 23, 2015 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. The victor could be in line for a potential shot at the winner of the title unification bout between Jose Aldo and Conor McGregor.
"Do Bronx" and "Blessed" are no strangers to fun fights and racked up a total of 12 post-fight performance bonuses in their Octagon careers. Both fighters are also on impressive win streaks and could elevate themselves to top contender status with a victory on FOX Sports 1.
The Brazilian's manager, Ericson Cardozo, recognizes that opportunity.
"I think he should fight for the title next," Cardozo told MMAFighting.com. "We know Frankie Edgar is ahead in the rankings, but Holloway and Charles are coming up and haven’t fought for the title yet. I believe the winner of this fight should get a title shot next, and that would be great."
Cardozo's argument is certainly valid. "The Answer" was already defeated by Aldo at UFC 156 and Chad Mendes is a three-time title challenger. The time is now for new blood, which may help explain why this fighter was expedited to the front of the pack.
Oliveira and Holloway, who represent the No. 7 and No. 5 ranked fighters in the 145-pound division, will be competing in their first UFC main event. Each man has battled 15 minutes inside the cage before, but not for a full 25. Cardio has not necessarily been a factor for either combatant, but if their Octagon records are any indication, this tussle is not destined for the judges' scorecards on fight night.
"This fight won’t last five rounds," said Cardozo. "Actually, watching the way Charles and Holloway fight, I think it won’t go past the third round."
Indeed, the Hawaiian and the Brazilian are potent finishers. However, their fighting styles are completely different.
Whereas Holloway is a stand-up fighter; a striking tactician with flashy kicks and a high-volume pace, Oliveira will pick his shots in order to find his way inside to set up a takedown.
In recent fights, we've seen the 25-year-old submission wizard dominate on the ground, particularly against Nik Lentz. The pair were in the midst of a hard-fought contest, heading into the final round of their April tilt, before Oliveira slapped on a guillotine choke for the finish.
His grappling war with Hatsu Hioki in June 2014 garnered him "Submission of the Year" honors by MMA Junkie for his second-round, anaconda choke finish. But don't expect the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt to crack under the pressure of striking exchanges.
After all, Oliveira nearly finished Lentz in the first round with knees and elbows.
"He has a great striking game," remarked Cardozo. "I believe the majority of the fight will be standing. He won’t try to take Charles down, and will try to defend Charles’ takedowns. I see this being a stand-up war, at least in the first round. Holloway is tough, but it’s a good match-up for Charles. He’s a brawler, so it’s going to be an interesting fight."
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