UFC Fight Night 74 Preview
The Featherweight division will see a very important fight when the UFC returns to the heartland of Canada for a matchup between two of the best in the division.
Neither Max Holloway nor Charles Oliveira hold the title and neither are in the top three of the division.
That doesn’t mean that they can’t be counted among the best though as they have been two of the hottest fighters in the UFC.
It is a tough division to get some recognition in with Jose Aldo and Conor McGregor taking up most of the headlines, and rightfully so.
Yet still both fighters have put together exciting fights and have been winning all of them as they fly through the rankings.
Both have had similar paths as well with both fighters entering the UFC as promising young fighters that were expected to make an impact.
For Holloway his UFC career didn’t start out great as he lost his first fight in the promotion but from there he has shown plenty of promise.
With multiple winning streaks he has consistently been one to watch in the featherweight division.
That doesn’t mean he didn’t struggle through as two losses to Dennis Bermudez and Conor McGregor set him back and out of the rankings.
Since his loss to McGregor though there has been no stopping Holloway who has worked his way slowly through the rankings to sit at #5 in the division.
He has put together six straight wins since then and all but one have gone to decision as he has been one of the hottest fighters in the UFC.
Oliveira’s career started a little differently as his first two fights were winning ones and immediately made everyone pay attention.
After those wins Oliveria went into an inconsistent phase where he could not string many fights together.
That inconsistency ended last year when he beat Andy Ogle and began the four-fight win streak he rides into this fight.
Both fighters have had similar careers and now stand in the same spot as they are fighters that need to continue their win streak to get any closer to a title.
Both fighters are part of a group of athletes who came in with promise but fell short of expectations and were dropped back into the mass of fighters trying to be noticed.
For these fighters it is often tougher to find their way to the top of the division as they need to string together big winning streaks against great competition to get there.
It can be difficult for many as they put together good streaks and still find it a slow climb up the division rankings.
That is exactly what Holloway is going through now as a six wins in arrow has not put him in the title conversation.
That is partly due to the rise of McGregor and the much-anticipated Aldo-McGregor fight but also for the fact that he is simply one of those fighters that has snuck up on everyone.
Although Oliveira doesn’t have the same streak going as his opponent but he is beginning to sneak up on everyone with his four-fight win streak.
Both will be looking to continue their streaks and make their way closer to the title fight that seems to be on the horizon for the winner of this main event.
Both fighters are fairly well-rounded and both love to finish fights with a total of 30 finishes between both of them.
Holloway is part of the new version of fighters who began their careers as fighters and have never been in another combat sport.
That gives him an experience unlike most as he has always developed every aspect of the game from ground to stand-up.
Oliveira began as a BJJ practitioner but has developed a quick striking game that has helped him earn six knockouts.
Both fighters will be looking to go in different directions though as they clearly prefer one spot to the other and wish to get their way.
Holloway prefers to stay standing and use his quick hands while Oliveira wants to take the fight to the ground where his great BJJ can earn him the win.
Whoever gets the fight where they want it is not guaranteed a win as anybody seems to be able to take this fight even if they may prefer it to go anywhere else.
When all is set and done though one has to walk away with the win and in this fight it will be Oliveira who will get the fight to the ground and earn the submission in the third round.
The Sport Addiction 