Max Holloway delivered at UFC 318 after defeating Dustin Poirier by unanimous decision to keep the BMF title.
But, after leaving the Diamond’s last fight with a loss, it’s unclear who should face the Hawaiian next.
‘Blessed’ is on a two-fight win streak in the Lightweight division with his victory in Louisiana, and his KO triumph against Justin Gaethje at UFC 300.
Here are three fighters that Holloway could face in his next fight, which will leave MMA fans excited and intrigued.
Ilia Topuria
We start with an opponent who has a history with Holloway, albeit in a different weight division.
The last time the Waianae-born mixed martial artist faced Topuria was at UFC 308 for the undisputed Featherweight title.
The Georgian became the first man to knockout Holloway in MMA, doing so in the third round in Abu Dhabi.
This was the main reason for the BMF Champion to continue his UFC career in the Lightweight division.
Topuria showed insane power at 145 pounds, earning dominant performances against the likes of Alexander Volkanovski and Josh Emmett.
At Lightweight, it’s not a difference as ‘El Matador’ became the new king of the Lightweights after knocking out Charles Oliveira in the first round at UFC 317.
While Holloway suffered a devastating loss to the German-born fighter, his move to 155 pounds has shown more promising power.
After stunning and knocking Poirier in his last fight, it seems that the #5 contender can contest with Topuria’s striking.
Either way, it would be a thrilling rematch to watch for the MMA community, especially given the bout’s rich history.
Charles Oliveira
Something which Holloway has in common with Oliveira is being a victim of Topuria’s knockout power, but that’s not what makes this fight exciting.
Believe it or not, ‘Do Bronxs’ does have history with the Hawaiian after the two met in a Featherweight bout in Saskatchewan, Canada.
It was the headliner of UFC Saskatoon where Blessed won the fight by first-round TKO.
However, it wasn’t a great ending, as Oliveira suffered an oesophageal injury, which caused the stoppage.
Since their 2015 battle, both men have become fan favourites and prestigious fighters in the UFC.
Oliveira made his presence known when he moved to Lightweight, going on an 11-fight win streak from June 2018 to October 2022.
The Brazilian has become the UFC Lightweight Champion, while breaking records for most finishes, submissions and fight bonuses in UFC history.
A key reason why the Sao Paulo fighter is worthy of competing for the BMF title.
A long-awaited rematch is what fans may be hopeful for, and there could be some fire between the two after Holloway accused Oliveira of faking his injury in their first bout.
Dan Hooker
If there is one individual that can guarantee a five-round war with the BMF Champion, it has to be ‘The Hangman. ‘
While Hooker hasn’t faced Holloway before, he has faced tough competition throughout his UFC career.
This includes well-known competitors; Islam Makhachev, Michael Chandler, Arnold Allen, Edson Barboza and Yair Rodriguez.
Just like the Hawaiian, the New Zealand fighter has won the majority of his UFC fights by knockout or technical knockout.
Despite never being involved in a title fight, Hooker has been involved in some of the most entertaining fights.
Something which he can share with Holloway, who has also earned many Fight of the Night bonuses.
For example, the Auckland-born mixed martial artist’s last bout was a thrilling three-round battle at UFC 305 against Mateusz Gamrot.
Before that, he had a gruelling war with Jalin Turner at UFC 290, winning both of those fights by split decision.
When Holloway points to the ground in the last 10 seconds hoping for someone to exchange strikes, Hooker will indefinitely be that person.