Charles Oliveira wants title fight or Conor McGregor in UFC return
Former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira was forced out of the UFC 294 main event with a cut, but he already has his sights set on a return. Oliveira has made it clear that he wants his next fight to be for the lightweight title or against Conor McGregor.
In an exclusive interview with Guilherme Cruz of MMA Fighting, Oliveira spoke about his return.
“It’s not that it doesn’t make sense [to fight somebody else] — I’m a UFC employee,” Oliveira said. “Whoever they say, we’ll make it happen. But I’m the No. 1 contender, and I beat everybody else below me. The Conor fight is a fight I’ve been asking for a long time. And I never lied, I was the only one being real about fighting Conor.“
Quote via MMA Fighting
Oliveira has taken out a good portion of the UFC lightweight division. The former champion has wins over Justin Gaethje, Dustin Poirier, Michael Chandler and Beniel Dariush.
The next UFC lightweight title shot will be a pointed debate until the next championship fight is booked. It is certainly not a guarantee that Oliveira will be given an immediate opportunity to fight for the belt. The two biggest players in the discussion will be Oliveira and Gaethje. Oliveira holds an advantage with a head-to-head victory over Gaethje, but at the same time, it is indisputable that Gaethje deserves a title fight after knocking out Poirier.
If the UFC opts to go with Gaethje, Oliveira appears to have a case to fight McGregor.
“Charles Oliveira against Conor McGregor, money fight. It’s a fight that will give us a lot of money. Conor sells, Charles also sells. It’s a fight that everybody wants. The only one we don’t know if [he] wants this fight is Conor because I’ve said it a thousand times — 170, 185, 155, I don’t know, choose the weight. Say where and I’ll be there,” Oliveira continued. “Just send the contract and we’ll sign it. That’s the fight. Title fight? I’m waiting. UFC makes the call. I deserve it. I’m waiting right here, next to the people that really love me. I’m waiting for my moment.”
Quote via MMA Fighting
In all likelihood, the UFC will opt to book McGregor against Chandler. That has been the plan for months.
The landscape of the lightweight division will quickly change if McGregor defeats Chandler. If McGregor wins, the UFC could book him against Gaethje or Oliveira while the other fights for the title. That keeps both fighters happy as one gets a title fight while the other gets a money fight. Obviously, the picture changes if McGregor loses a third consecutive fight.
The UFC lightweight division will likely remain one of the craziest divisions in MMA for the foreseeable future. Oliveira is optimistic that he can capitalize on that madness to earn a massive fight. The Brazilian fan-favorite will certainly have that opportunity.
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