Charles Oliveira, 36-year-old mixed martial artist ranked second in the UFC lightweight rankings despite losing in round 1 to Ilia Topuria for the vacant UFC Lightweight Championship, has promised that the long awaited rematch with Max Holloway (33 years old) will happen in the first half of 2026 but "certainly not January".
He said it after a tweet by the Brazilian UFC account on X said that Holloway and Oliveira would face in UFC 324, the fight night in Las Vegas on January 24, where the interim fight between Paddy Pimblett and Justin Gaethje will take place. The tweet was quickly deleted, so it probably was a mistake on their account, as Oliveira said that "there's nothing confirmed about my fight, Max Holloway and I for January" on his Instagram Stories (via Reuters), and confirmed that he will be on vacation with his family.
"So far, we don't know anything. And it certainly won't be in January, just to make it clear. But this fight will happen. I want it, he wants it and you also want it", the Brazilian said. It will be a rematch for a fight on UFC 74 on August 23, 2015, where Holloway beat Oliveira by TKO in the featherweight division.