‘BMF’ stands for the ‘Baddest Motherfu—-‘ in the game. Meaning, to fight for this belt, you have to be regarded as exactly that, a ‘bad mofo‘. Holloway earned the belt by beating Justin Gaethje with a last second KO at UFC 300. Now, he will defend it for the first time against Charles Oliveira.

Holloway is the third BMF title holder of all time. The original one was Jorge Masvidal, followed by Gaethje, and now Holloway. However, Masvidal technically never lost the belt, but he never defended it. He retired and left the belt vacant. Justin Gaethje then knocked out Dustin Poirier to gain the title.

How did the BMF come to be?

Nate Diaz came off of a long layoff to beat Anthony Pettis, and then made an iconic callout to Jorge Masvidal, involving the epic phrase which gave birth to the ‘BMF’ belt. It also made a war between east and west coast fighters.

Both Diaz and Masvidal were huge stars back in the day, and the buildup was so big, that UFC President Dana White, decided to go all in. He announced the BMF belt, they headlined the event, and Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson was the one wrapping the title around the waist of the winner.

No BMF title has ever gone the distance

The first BMF title fight ended in a doctor stoppage TKO, as Masvidal created too much harm on Nate Diaz’s face. Then Gaethje knocked out Poirier with a vicious head kick. The last one, Max Holloway put the beating of a lifetime on Gaethje and end up knocking him out with one second to go in the fight. The BMF belt legacy right now is literally living up to the expectations.

While reports haven’t disclosed any fighter purse, Max Holloway earned around $1 million for his fight at UFC 300 vs. Justin Gaethje, plus an additional $600 thousand in bonuses. When he fought at UFC 308, Yahoo Sports reported that he earned $1.4 million. He should be earning around that mark again, given that he is the defending champion.

Holloway’s career earnings are estimated to be around the $12.5 million mark, excluding undisclosed bonuses. Holloway is one of the most profitable names the UFC has had for about a decade. He embodies the ‘any time, any place, anywhere’ mantra, and his style is very fan-friendly.

How much is Charles Oliveira earning at UFC 326?

Just like Holloway, Charles Oliveira is one of those fighters fans always tune to see. His paychecks rose significantly when he got lightweight gold. According to TheSportingNews, Oliveira earned $1.142 million for his title fight with Dustin Poirier at UFC 269.

However, Sportcasting and GiveMeSport reported his paycheck decreased a bit for his UFC 309 fight against Michael Chandler, where he reportedly earned $1,071 million. Being the holder of most UFC finishes in history, Oliveira has earned north of a million dollars in fight bonuses during his UFC career.

Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira already fought before

Eleven years ago, two young up-and-comers fought. Holloway beat Oliveira by TKO due to the Brazilian suffering a weird throat injury during the fight. However, that fight presented very different versions of each fighter. Now, both are more mature and have championship pedigree.

Also, that fight was at featherweight, while this one will be at lightweight. This means both fighters have less weight to cut, and could carry more power into their shots.

Max Holloway is fresh off one of the biggest wins in his career, but this time around, he is making headlines because of his take on the main event of UFC 319. Dricus Du Plessis will defend his middleweight title against Khamzat Chimaev in Chicago.

For Holloway, it is quite insane to have Chimaev as the favorite. “I like both guys. Both guys are awesome. This is crazy. I understand why, but this is crazy. The champion, especially with who he beat, is an underdog. It’s kinda crazy. The reason why he is, I understand who Chimaev is.”

More importantly, Holloway expressed how he feels people should respect Du Plessis more. “You can’t disrespect the champion, that’s why. Look at who he beat. He beat a who’s who.”

Why is Du Plessis the underdog?

Du Plessis is 9-0 in the UFC and has already four wins against former champions. He beat Sean Strickland twice, Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker. With this resume and two title defenses already, why is he an underdog then?

Well, he is fighting an unbeaten challenger. But even more so, Chimaev is the boogeyman of the middleweight division and has made most of his fights look really easy. Du Plessis doesn’t have a very aesthetically pleasing style, he is kind of unorthodox and unpredictable. Chimaev? He will shoot for a takedown quickly and will maul you or submit you very fast.

This one is most likely not going the distance

Dricus Du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev are not paid by the hour and they know it. Out of his 23 career wins, Du Plessis has only gone the distance three times. He’s finished nine opponents by knockout and 11 by submission.

Chimaev has a 14-0 record and has 12 wins by finish. He splits them evenly as six have been knockouts and six submissions. ‘Borz‘ has deadly ground and pound and transitions to get the neck. Both of these fighters are skilled and able to finish the fight at any moment.

UFC 318 delivered the goods with plenty of incredible fights, lots of finishes and major upsets. It was all capped off by Max Holloway successfully defending his BMF belt against Dustin Poirier. After the bout, Poirier took off his gloves as he rides into the retirement sunset. But then, the question is: what’s next for Holloway?

Thankfully, the UFC always has a post-fight press conference where the president Dana White was asked about Holloway’s future. The situation for him is tricky. After losing to Ilia Topuria at featherweight, Holloway decided to open new opportunities for him at 155. The problem was Topuria then decided to go up and grabbed the ligthweight title. This was awful news for Max who saw how the one who beat him ‘invaded’ his new division.

However, according to Dana White, Holloway “is in a great position… he’s ranked number 4 in the world, anything is possible for Max now.” This is big! After all, it’s not common that the UFC even considers a rematch after a vicious KO loss in the first fight.

Holloway was an absolute beast at UFC 318

The whole event was centered on Dustin Poirier‘s retirement. Having said that, Holloway didn’t get caught in the sentimental wave. He was there to spoil the party and he did. Two of the three judges gave him four rounds as he won 49-46, 49-46 and 48-47 to retain his belt.

Holloway was poised and hurt Poirier. Not only that, when he got hurt, he was able to weather the storm and regain control with his volume and speed. Holloway connected 198 significant strikes against Poirier’s 109. It was a vintage Holloway performance.

How would Topuria vs. Holloway II go?

Topuria is the only man to knock out Max Holloway in the octagon. However, the third round finish doesn’t mean Holloway got dominated. In fact, he had more total strikes and significant strikes landed up to the point of the finish.

Two of the judges had Topuria winning the two previous rounds and one had it 1-1. In fact, the first round was Holloway commanding the pace, but Topuria’s power might have swerved some of the judges. In a rematch, Holloway should adjust. He’s looked really good at 155. However, Topuria is knocking everyone he shares the octagon with and has established as the boogeyman in the UFC.

UFC 318 is set to deliver fireworks at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, as Louisiana native Dustin Poirier makes his final walk to the Octagon in a highly anticipated trilogy bout against Max Holloway with the BMF title on the line.

Poirier, a former interim lightweight champion, aims to close out his storied career with one last statement against Holloway, the reigning BMF champion. With legacy, pride, and a belt at stake, this main event has all the ingredients to become an instant classic.

When will the Max Holloway vs Dustin Poirier fight take place?

This UFC 318 showdown between Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier is set for this Saturday, July 19, at 10:00 PM (ET).

Max Holloway vs Dustin Poirier: Time by State in the USA

ET: 10:00 PM
CT: 9:00 PM
MT: 8:00 PM
PT: 7:00 PM

How to watch Max Holloway vs Dustin Poirier in the USA

You can watch this UFC fight between Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier in the United States on ESPN+ PPV.

The BMF title takes center stage as Max Holloway defends his belt vs. Dustin Poirier in the main event of UFC 318. This will also be the ‘Diamond’s‘ retirement fight, which gives it an added spice to an already incredible bout. However, how much will the winner get paid?

According to Sportkeeda, Poirier’s last fight had a $1.2 million payout in a losing effort against Islam Makhachev. As for Holloway, he took home around $2.4 million despite getting knocked out by Ilia Topuria.

For this bout, the projections state that Holloway will at least get $2.7 million just to show up, and Poirier will get a minimum of $1.6 million. This means the winner could potentially get north of $4 million when you count possible bonuses, win money, television rights, and PPV points, where it’s reported both will have a piece of.

Money, belt and glory

This fight is charged with nostalgia, hype, and nervousness. These two are as beloved as they come in the UFC, so it’s that kind of matchup where people want both to win. However, this is fighting, one is taking home more money, the BMF belt, and the glory. Whether it’s Max Holloway ascending in the division, or Dustin Poirier riding into the sunset with another accolade, this fight means a lot.

For both, this is a must-win fight. If Poirier loses, he ends his career on a loss and given that UFC 318 will be in his hometown of New Orleans, it’s double pain. As for Holloway, he would become the first fighter to lose multiple trilogies 0-3 (Volkanovski being the other one). Max would also lose spots in the ranking, lose the BMF belt and getting beat by a retiring fighter. This goes well and beyond money.

UFC 318 will be memorable

First of, there is no way Dustin Poirier and Max Holloway don’t give the fans a memorable battle. Literally, these two have never been in a boring fight. However, the other fights are very exciting too.

Here’s the rest of the main card of UFC 318:

• (BMF Title) Max Holloway (c) vs. Dustin Poirier – 155 lbs
• Paulo Costa vs. Roman Kopylov – 185 lbs
• Kevin Holland vs. Daniel Rodriguez – 170 lbs
• Dan Ige vs. Patricio Pitbull – 145 lbs
• Michael Johnson vs. Daniel Zellhuber – 155 lbs

Max Holloway will face Dustin Poirier in the main event of UFC 318 in New Orleans. This will mark the end of the Diamond’s career and, deservedly so, that’s the main story of the event. However, Holloway wants to play spoiler and he has good reasons to do so. He has lots in stake.

Not only is Holloway putting his BMF title on the line, but he is also facing a tough “accolade” to have. If he loses, Holloway would have the not-so-wanted distinction of losing two trilogies in full.

Trilogies are not often seen in the UFC, however, most of them have one thing in common. There has to be a win for each side to warrant a third matchup. Well, Holloway already lost a full trilogy to Alex Volkanovski. Max also is 0-2 vs. Poirier. Even if Max is a first-ballot Hall of Famer, having the distinction of being the only UFC fighter to be 0-3 against two different opponents is not what he’d like.

The bouts have been great though

Now, reading that, you might assume he was dominated in every single bout. Well, that’s not particularly the case. The first trilogy completed was the once with Volkanovski. The first fight was absolutely close, but Volk edged him on the scorecards to end Holloway’s eternal run as the featherweight champion. The second bout was even closer, with many scoring it in favor of Max. However, the third one was Volk at his best, dominating every single moment.

As for Dustin’s fights, they are lowkey tricky to explain. Only two men have been able to finish Holloway inside of the octagon. One of them is Poirier, who secured a triangle armbar against Holloway in Max’s UFC debut. Years later, in 2019, they fought for the interim lightweight bout. It was an incredible fight that ended 4th in the ‘Fight of the Year’ category. Poirier, however, won 49-46 on all three judges’ scorecards.

There are good things if Holloway wins vs. Poirier too

This is not the first time Holloway is tasked with retiring a legend. He was also the farewell fight for The Korean Zombie. He won that bout by knockout. However, this time is much different. Zombie was really done when he fought Holloway. Poirier, instead, is still at an elite level of fighting.

There is another couple of streaks Holloway might consider. No BMF champion has ever defended the title. The first one was Jorge Masvidal. He retired. Then, Poirier and Gaethje fought for the vacant BMF belt. During his first defense, Gaethje was dominated and knocked out by Holloway. Hence, this title has never been successfully defended.

Another streak is the ‘Topuria blessing‘ stat. Yes, Ilia Topuria destroys everyone on his way, but weirdly enough, his UFC victims have gone to win the very next bout they have. Holloway’s last trip to the octagon was, in fact, a KO loss to Topuria, so if the trend is right, he should win this contest.

Max Holloway has carved a name for himself as one of the fiercest competitors in MMA, known for relentless pressure and a warrior’s heart. Beyond the octagon, his financial journey reflects years of dedication and growing popularity.

With multiple title fights and headline bouts under his belt, his earnings have steadily climbed, fueled by fight purses, sponsorships and endorsements. His career highlights have not only boosted his reputation but also his bank account.

As one of the UFC’s most recognizable figures, questions around his net worth have become a topic of interest. An overview of his earnings reveals a lucrative and impactful career inside and outside the cage…

What is Max Holloway’s net worth?

Max Holloway, known as “Blessed“, has transformed from a promising fighter to a financial powerhouse in the MMA world. As of 2025, his estimated net worth stands at $5 million, according to Sportskeeda. This wealth stems from his extensive UFC career, lucrative fight purses and strategic endorsements.

How much does Max Holloway earn per fight?

Max Holloway’s fight earnings vary based on the event’s profile and his contractual terms. For instance, at UFC 308, he earned a total payout of $2.432 million, which included base salary, win bonuses and additional incentives. Typically, his base pay ranges from $200,000 to $300,000 per fight, with additional bonuses for performance and victories.

Max Holloway’s highest-earning fights

Max Holloway’s biggest paydays have come during his most anticipated showdowns—title defenses and high-stakes main events…

UFC 300 vs Justin Gaethje
At UFC 300 (April 13, 2024), he faced Justin Gaethje for the symbolic BMF belt. He scored a jaw-dropping walk-off knockout in the final second, and because of a special bonus structure, earned $300,000 for Fight of the Night and another $300,000 for Performance of the Night—a grand total of $600,000 just in bonuses.

UFC 308 vs Ilia Topuria
Though he came up short, he still pocketed a hefty $2.432 million for headlining UFC 308, according to leaked payslips. That figure reflects the UFC’s willingness to reward its most bankable fighters—even in defeat.

UFC 231 vs Brian Ortega
Before these mega events, he secured a significant payday at UFC 231 in December 2018. He earned around $490,000—a base purse plus win payout—for defending his featherweight title against Brian Ortega.

Max Holloway’s endorsements

While Max Holloway’s earnings inside the cage are impressive, his financial strategy extends into the world of endorsements. One of his earliest major deals came in 2017, when he partnered with Budweiser following his dominant rise to UFC champion status.

In 2023, he signed on as a brand ambassador and investor for New Brew, a non-alcoholic functional beverage made with kava. The Hawaii-based product resonated deeply with him, both culturally and personally.

Not only does he promote the drink, but he also holds an equity stake in the company—demonstrating a shift from one-off sponsorships to long-term business involvement. He has spoken publicly about wanting to support products that align with his values.

He also has had ongoing relationships with sports and personal care brands, including Reebok during its UFC apparel era and Manscaped, a grooming brand popular among male athletes.

Max Holloway’s investments

Outside of endorsements, Max Holloway has taken deliberate steps to secure his financial future through smart investments. One of his reported focuses has been the Hawaiian real estate market, a sector that has proven lucrative.

Investing in property close to home is a natural fit for him, who remains deeply connected to his roots in Waianae, Oahu. He has hinted in interviews that supporting his local community is part of his long-term vision.

He has also launched a lifestyle and apparel brand known as “Blessed Era”. The project reflects his personal style and MMA identity and is aimed at fans who connect with his journey. Apparel has become a common avenue for fighters looking to diversify their income.

His involvement with New Brew is perhaps the clearest example of his evolving approach to business. By taking on an advisory and equity role rather than just appearing in advertisements, he has embraced a more hands-on strategy that could open the door to future ventures.

From soccer to the NBA to cricket, sports stars are followed from fans all over the world from all walks of life. Since the start of social media celebrities have leveraged what their content could be worth if tied to a brand.

Like Messi with Adidas or Pulisic with Puma, these sports stars know their value on the social media platform Instagram. According to a study done by Hopper, here are the 25 top sports stars who charge the most per post on Instagram.

25. Faf du Plessis

Faf du Plessis is a South African cricket player and former captain of South Africa’s cricket team, the star player charges $11,100 per post on his Instagram page.

24. Lindsey Vonn

Lindsey Vonn is an alpine ski racer who has won four World Cup overall championships and has a large social media following. Vonn’s cost per post on Instagram is at $11,700.

23. Ryan Sheckler

American skateboarder Ryan Sheckler is also a TV star and was on the MTV TV show Life of Ryan. On Instagram a post by this urban star costs $12,200.

22. Max Holloway

UFC fighter Max Holloway might be tough in the ring, outside he uses his social media to post about his family and showcase things fans have sent him. A brand looking to pair with Max Holloway needs to pay $14,100 per post.

21. Kelly Slater

Professional surfer Kelly Slater has over 10 world surfing championships and has a strong following on social media. Slater charges $15,000 per post on Instagram.

20. Simone Biles

Having turned into an indirect spokesperson for mental health, Simone Biles is one the most decorated gymnasts of all-time and has a huge social media following at the time Biles charged $22,000 per post, that must have surely increased since then.

19. Serena Williams

A monster on the tennis court, Serena Williams won 23 Grand Slam singles titles, and has had endorsement deals of every kind come her way. According to a report she charges $71,700 per post.

18. Ronda Rousey

Former professional mixed martial artist and professional wrestler Ronda Rousey has a big following on social media and knows how to cash in on it. The price for a post is $73,100.

17. Kevin De Bruyne

One of the best soccer players in the world, Kevin De Bruyne of Manchester City commands the midfield for the Premier League’s top team. The Belgian international has a big social media following and charges $75,500 per post.

16. AB de Villiers

Cricket player AB de Villiers has over 14 million followers and makes a good chunk of change off of his Instagram, $78,200 when last reported.

15. Sergio Aguero

Now retired soccer player Sergio Aguero has already began building his own brand, often on the platform Twitch, Aguero has a massive following and on Instagram was reported to charge $94,800.

14. Floyd Mayweather

Maybe the greatest boxer of all time, Floyd Mayweather at times might seem vile but he knows how to sell his image. Mayweather has a net worth out of this world! A post by Mayweather on Instagram is chump change for the champion… only $144,000.

13. Stephen Curry

In this writer’s opinion the best basketball player in the world, Stephen Curry is just magic on the court and a celebrity off of it. Curry charges $187,000 per post.

12. Conor Mcgregor

One of the biggest names in mix martial arts, Conor Mcgregor has crossed over to mainstream, boxing, and WWE. Conor Mcgregor charges $218,000 per post.

11. Luis Suarez

Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez was one of the best in his position for a long time, now at the tail end of his career, El Pistolero still has a lot in the tank and could be with Uruguay in the 2022 World Cup. Suarez charges $221,000 per post.

10. Mohamed Salah

Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah is at the moment one of the best soccer players in the world and a goal machine. Salah has fans from all over the world and charges $231,000 per post.

9. Gareth Bale

The Real Madrid midfielder continues to be on top of mind, even though he has had an injury plagued season. Bale is at $238,000 per post on Instagram.

8. Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Charismatic, controversial, provider of great content, when you team with Zlatan Ibrahimovic one thing you are sure to get is exposure. Zlatan knows how to sell himself; he charges $259,000.

7. Ronaldinho

Ronaldinho may have been out of professional soccer for a while now, but he is still a sought after ambassador for brands. Dinho charges the big bucks, $301,000.

6. David Beckham

No athlete has been better at marketing himself than David Beckham, he built an empire on it. Becks charges $362,000 per post on Instagram.

5. LeBron James

One of the best players of his generation, LeBron is a spokesperson, ambassador, with a strong political stance. LeBron charges $474,000 per post.

4. Virat Kohli

A cricket player from India who is regarded as one of the best batsmen in the world, Virat Kohli has a big following from the cricket playing regions of the world. Kohli knows how to spread it around at $680,000 per post.

3. Neymar

The Brazilian soccer player has been able to crossover from soccer, movies, and products. Neymar is hoping that 2022 will be his crowning year at the World Cup, on Instagram he can’t complain charging $824,000 per post.

2. Lionel Messi

The Argentine great has always known how to sell his self-image, Messi is a shy, often avoider of the spotlight but commercially he knows how to play the game better than on a soccer field. Want a post from Lionel Messi? Put up $1,169,000 bucks!

1. Cristiano Ronaldo

Beckham laid the groundwork, but Cristiano Ronaldo took the throne. Ronaldo is one of the best soccer players of his generation and an excellent salesman of his talents. On Instagram, Ronaldo is at $1,604,000.

Max Holloway is finally going to fight Rodriguez after months ago he was unable to perform due to an injury. Holloway won his last fight against Calvin Kattar on January 16, 2021, but prior to that fight he had lost two more in a row against Volkanovski.

Yair Rodriguez has a good record after only 16 fights, his most recent win was against Jeremy Stephens during UFC Fight Night: Reyes vs. Weidman on October 18, 2019. He won that fight by unanimous decision, and prior to that victory, a month earlier, he was unable to continue a fight against Stephens due to an injury.

Max Holloway vs Yair Rodriguez: Fight Information

Date: Saturday, November 13, 2021.
Time: 6:30 PM (ET)
Location: UFC APEX, Las Vegas, Nevada.

Max Holloway vs Yair Rodriguez: Times by State in the US

ET: 6:30 PM
CT: 5:30 PM
MT: 4:30 PM
PT: 3:30 PM

Max Holloway vs Yair Rodriguez: Storylines

Max Holloway maintains a record of 22 wins and 6 losses, his debut as a UFC Fighter was with a loss on February 4, 2012. In the last three years, between 2019 and 2021, Holloway has fought only five times with a negative result, three defeats and only two victories. But the best time of Max Holloway’s career was 13 consecutive victories between 2014 and 2018. Holloway has a Significant Striking Accuracy of 46% and an Average Takedown Defense of 84%.

Yair Rodriguez won the first six fights of his career between 2014 and 2017, but that winning streak came to an end with a loss to Frankie Edgar on May 13, 2017 at UFC 211: Miocic vs. Dos Santos. After that loss, Yair had a positive record with two wins and a mildly negative result against Jeremy Stephens. Yair Rodriguez’s strikes have an accuracy of 45%, in his last victory he landed 96 significant strikes against only 50 of his rival.

How To Watch Or Stream Live Free Max Holloway vs Yair Rodriguez in the U.S.

The UFC is available on Television and Live Streaming on the Internet, this UFC Fight Night 197 bout and other fights will be broadcast in the United States by: ESPN+, ESPN+ app, UFC Fight Pass. Don’t forget to download the app to watch the fight on your smartphone.

Max Holloway vs Yair Rodriguez: Predictions And Odds

Max Holloway is big favorite to win this fight with -820 moneyline at FanDuel, he has more experience and victories than his rival but his recent record is not positive. Yair Rodriguez is an underdog with +570 moneyline. The total rounds is fixed at 3.5. The best pick for this UFC fight is: Over 3.5.

* Odds via FanDuel