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The BMF title was on the line as the Octagon returned to T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas for another big UFC numbered event.
The night saw Charles Oliveira dethrone Max Holloway as the UFC’s BMF champion, while a number of fringe contenders claimed important victories for their respective careers.
Here are our power rankings for the main card winners from UFC 326 in Las Vegas.
UFC 326 Power Rankings
1. Drew Dober
In terms of a sheer “wow” moment, Drew Dober’s flatlining of fellow lightweight vet Michael Johnson topped the list of eye-catching performances on Saturday night’s main card.
He might not be in a position to challenge for championship gold, but Dober brings guaranteed action and excitement to the Octagon every time he competes. From his walkout, to Montell Jordan’s “This Is How We Do It”, to his all-action fighting style, Dober is must-see TV every time he fights.
He wins some, he loses some. But when he wins, it’s generally highlight-reel stuff, and that’s exactly what he delivered on Saturday as he starched Johnson with a colossal shot to claim his 11th UFC knockout and extend his record as the man with the most UFC knockouts in the 155-pound division. It also earned him a $100,000 Performance of the Night bonus.
2. Gregory Rodrigues
“Robocop” was on a revenge mission at UFC 326, and he got what he came for.
Rodrigues was stunned in the first round by a debuting Brunno Ferreira when they first met back at UFC 283 in January 2023. But since then, Rodrigues has been on a great run that has only been partially slowed by a loss to former title challenger Jared Cannonier.
But when he received the opportunity to exorcise his demons and avenge his loss to Ferreira at UFC 326, he took the opportunity with both hands which, with a set of MMA gloves on, are among the most dangerous in the world at 185 pounds.
He put his devastating knockout power to good use to flatten Ferreira in less than half the time it took for him to defeat Rodrigues in their first meeting as “Robocop” put things right with a jaw-dropping fini that saw him pick up a cool $100k as one of the Performances of the Night.
3. Charles Oliveira
Normally, when you win a title, you’d expect that achievement to trump everything else in a power ranking, but on this occasion, we have Charles Oliveira third. That’s no knock on his victory, or on the BMF title, which isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. It’s more down to the way Oliveira went about winning the belt.
Tactically, the Brazilian couldn’t have been smarter. He leaned on his grappling in a way few, including Max Holloway, expected, and when he realized the skill gap on the mat was as clear as it was, he simply rinsed and repeated as he claimed a shutout win on the scorecards.
Was it ruthlessly effective? Most certainly. Was it the sort of performance you’d want to see in a BMF title fight? Probably not. World titles are to be won by any means necessary – they’re the pinnacle of the sport. But for the BMF belt, where there’s an implied expectation of an action fight, there just wasn’t the action many were hoping for.
Oliveira is still elite, and more big fights are surely coming his way. But rightly or wrongly, it felt a little bit like with that performance we were denied a classic and given just another fight.
4. Caio Borralho
When Caio Borralho faced Reinier de Ridder in the co-main event, it was a must-win for both men. Victory would send the winner back towards title contention, while defeat would consign the other to gatekeeper status at 185 pounds.
And as the action unfolded on Saturday night, it was clear that it was Borralho who was the man best placed to reenter the championship chat, as he pitched a shutout on the scorecards against a de Ridder who at times looked dangerous, but at others, looked demoralised.
Borralho’s unanimous decision win will see him back in the mix, and a matchup with former champion Dricus Du Plessis might be one potential challenge ahead for the Brazilian. As for de Ridder, after two somewhat listless displays at 185, a move up to light heavyweight could be on the cards.
5. Raul Rosas Jr.
Who doesn’t love Raul Rosas Jr? The youngster, who burst into the UFC as a teenager, is loving live in the Octagon, and he showed that he’s beginning to emerge as a contender at 135 pounds.
Rosas made a big step up in competition on Saturday night when he took on longtime ranked contender Rob Font at T-Mobile Arena, and he produced a great performance to win every round on every scorecard for a shutout victory over the Massachusetts man.
There’s still more to come from Rosas – while he dominated on the ground, a lack of striking offense on the deck was apparent – but his forward progress has now taken him into the bantamweight top 15. Every fight from here is a banger, and he’s going to get tested like never before. But with his positive attitude, and a willingness to learn, there’s no reason why Rosas couldn’t gradually work his way into an elevated spot in the rankings.
