Charles Oliveira: Conor McGregor avoided me for Max Holloway

Charles Oliveira believes Conor McGregor passed on a fight with him because the Irishman saw Max Holloway as less dangerous.

Oliveira beat Holloway by decision at UFC 326 in March to claim the BMF belt. The Brazilian told MMA Fighting this week that McGregor chose Holloway for UFC 329 on July 11 instead of accepting a bout with him. "You and everyone else know that fight was supposed to be mine, but he chose Max because he thinks he can beat Max. The truth is, he ran from me," Oliveira said.

Why Oliveira thinks McGregor picked Holloway

The matchup was never formally offered to Oliveira, but the expectation was that whoever won between him and Holloway would face McGregor next. Oliveira said McGregor made his choice based on perceived difficulty. "In reality, he picked Max because he thought it was the easier path," Oliveira told MMA Fighting.

Oliveira does not see an easy night for McGregor against Holloway, despite the Irishman's early power. McGregor has not fought since fracturing his leg against Dustin Poirier in July 2021, a five-year absence heading into UFC 329. Oliveira said McGregor's best chance is in the opening rounds. "I think the first and second rounds favor him a lot. After that, things swing much more in Max's favor," Oliveira said. Holloway has gone to championship rounds in 12 of his last 17 fights, all of which were scheduled for five rounds.

Oliveira wants to unify the UFC and BMF belts against Justin Gaethje next. The McGregor fight will have to wait.

Reported via:

• MMA Fighting — Charles Oliveira: Conor McGregor ‘ran from me’ because he thought Max Holloway ‘was the easier path’