Max Holloway cautions fans against doubting Charles Oliveira at UFC 317: ‘This fight is up in the air’

Former UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway is better positioned than most to break down this weekend’s Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira fight.

Topuria and Oliveira are set to meet for the vacant lightweight title in the main event of 317. It goes down tomorrow night in Las Vegas.

Holloway suffered a knockout loss to Topuria down at featherweight in his last fight, and beat Oliveira by stoppage in the same division back in 2015. So, he knows them both well.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Holloway gave his thoughts on the imminent clash between his former opponents. He admitted he believes Topuria can win, but cautioned fans against counting Oliveira out.

Max Holloway breaks down Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira UFC 317 fight

“If Ilia gets a finish or a knockout, it wouldn’t surprise me,” Holloway said of the UFC 317 main event. “If Charles wins with a submission or even a knockout finish of his own, it doesn’t surprise me. This fight is super up in the air. A lot of people are counting Charles Oliveira out, but he just thrives on being the underdog. How many times have we counted this man and he somehow found a way to win? From my perspective, this fight is going to be decided in the first three or four minutes of the first round. Oliveira is going to get touched. Is Ilia going to touch him with something that puts him out cold or is going to hurt him, and then [Oliveira] somehow finds a way to fight back? That’s the main thing with this fight.

“If I was a betting man, on this fight, and Charles Oliveira is the underdog, I mean, Charles Oliveira is one of the best fighters in the world as an underdog,” Holloway added. “That’s all I’m saying. I’m not really picking a winner here.

“This fight should be super fun.”

What do you think of this UFC 317 breakdown from Max Holloway?