If the injury was only a micro tear, Oliveira likely avoided a much more unsafe health scare.
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Holloway comes into the fight as the fifth-ranked featherweight in the UFC while Oliveira is just slightly behind the Hawaiian in the seventh spot. Both warriors enter the octagon holding multiple-fight win streaks; five for Holloway and four for Oliveira.
Check out the above video as he gives his thoughts on that celebration and also discusses Ronda Rousey vs. Holly Holm and the future of the UFC in Calgary. Slightly over a minute-and-a-half in to the 1st spherical, Holloway pressed Oliveira headfirst against the cage & appeared to yank back on Oliveira’s left shoulder a bit. I want to keep my pedal down on the floor. He was not able to hold me down or hold me on the fence, so he has to open up his game.
Two top-ranked featherweights Max Holloway (#5) and Charles Oliveira (#7) close out the event, with potential title-implications. “It’s a make-or-break fight”.
“I trained really hard for this fight,” Oliveira said. I’ll fight McGregor any day of the week. Although he has grown offensively and his ground game is excellent he has many defensive liabilities.
I’ll pick Holloway to win by TKO in the fourth round after catching Oliveira was a counter. In charge of Oliveira’s evolving stand-up is Diego Lima from the legendary Chute Boxe gym.
On the other hand, Oliveira downgrades his prizefighting standing to 20-5 and snaps his four-fight victory march. Other than writing about MMA, Ed loves training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, eating good food, and watching horror films.
Oliveira is fourth all time in UFC history with seven submission victories, one behind Nate Diaz and Frank Mir and three behind the legendary Royce Gracie for the most in UFC history. There are moves that work very well in the sport, but you could never do in MMA.
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The fighters at the top of the UFC featherweight division better enjoy their time now because in a couple of years the division will belong to Holloway. “I have a lot of experience and I understand what it takes to be champion”. This fight has been a coin flip for me, and while I’d been leaning Holloway for most of this week, I’m second guessing myself and going with Oliveria by third round submission.
