From bad bet to big praise: Jorge Masvidal backs Charles Oliveira as the BMF after Max Holloway

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Jorge Masvidal had no issue with the way Charles Oliveira won the belt.

Oliveira became the latest holder of the title after his win in the UFC 326 main event in early March.

He defeated Max Holloway in their rematch at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, using a control-heavy approach to earn a wide unanimous decision verdict.

But that triumph wasn’t met with widespread praise, as many fans were left frustrated with his strategy.

During an interview on The MMA Hour, Diaz addressed Oliveira’s performance and made it clear he had no problem with what he saw from ‘Do Bronx’.

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Jorge Masvidal stands by Charles Oliveira’s BMF title victory over Max Holloway

Given what the BMF title is meant to represent, a lot of fans were expecting something very different from the rematch between Oliveira and Holloway on March 7. The fight ended up disappointing enough that some fans have started calling for changes to how the BMF belt is contested.

There have been suggestions like adding a stand-and-bang rule or only allowing the title to change hands via stoppage. But from where Jorge Masvidal stands, Oliveira’s approach wasn’t out of place for a BMF titleholder.

“I think it’s still very BMF,” Masvidal said on The Bohnfire podcast with reporter Mike Bohn.

“Maybe people don’t like the style, but Charles was trying to end him the whole time. It wasn’t like he was a crotch sniffer, where he was getting to halfway situations and just holding on for dear life.

“He was never doing that,” Masvidal continued. “He was getting to good positions, either elbowing him or going for submissions. That’s not in any way a bad performance.