Charles Oliveira is looking at the world through gold-tinted lenses. (Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)
(USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect / Reuters)
Charles Oliveira and Ilia Topuria are all-in on the Islam Makhachev sweepstakes.
After Topuria announced that he was done making the weight cut to 145 pounds and vacated his belt in February, the now-former featherweight champion appeared to be heading directly toward a lightweight title shot against UFC champion Makhachev. However, Oliveira has also made it abundantly clear that he expects his Makhachev rematch to be next, which hasn’t sat well with Topuria. The Georgian-Spaniard has since gone on the offensive against Oliveira, telling “Do Bronx” to “stay quiet,” harping on Oliveira’s losses and seemingly taking jabs at the former 155-pound champion’s intelligence.
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Speaking Wednesday on Uncrowned’s “The Ariel Helwani Show,” Oliveira said he sees exactly what Topuria trying is doing.
“It’s been 15 years [since I first started] in the UFC, respecting everybody. I’ve said it already — my story is written there. Everybody can see it,” Oliveira said through a translator.
“He’s coming from [his position] as a champion of featherweight division, and now trying to come up [to lightweight] and show this [level of superiority]. But I have firepower on my wrists and I’m really focused on the belt itself. It’s not about who it’s going to be on my way, but getting the belt.
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“He’s just trying to dig out a fight [for himself],” Oliveira continued. “He’s saying a lot of crap. I really respect his fights, the way he’s come up and everything, but he’s being very disrespectful now and is saying a lot of things he shouldn’t.”
Although he’ll cease being an official UFC champion once Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes collide for the vacant belt on April 12, Topuria still carries his status as an undefeated titleholder up to lightweight after pulling off one of the best years ever seen in MMA. Topuria earned Uncrowned’s 2024 Fighter of the Year award after knocking out Volkanovski and Max Holloway in back-to-back bouts.
Makhachev, similarly, made history in 2024 when he broke the record for most consecutive UFC lightweight title defenses, notching his fourth with an effortless victory over Renato Moicano.
Oliveira is 2-1 since losing to Makhachev in 2022, sandwiching a split decision loss to Arman Tsarukyan between impressive victories over Beneil Dariush and Michael Chandler, the last of which came in November during Oliveira’s most recent Octagon appearance. Despite not being told a title shot was guaranteed with that win, Oliveira felt it was expected. It that doesn’t happen, it’ll be disappointing.
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“Bottom line is Makhachev is the guy that has to be beat,” Oliveira said. “So if [Topuria’s] the next one to fight him, then so be it. I’m just an employee here. If he’s given the chance and not me, I’m going to keep fighting, keep preparing and keep waiting for my turn to come around. It is what it is.
“We’re coming out of a great fight [against Chandler]. I had the issue with my [knee] there, but essentially I’m really looking for a title fight now. It’s been a lot of work that I’ve put into it, 15 years with the UFC, and essentially just waiting for a phone call. That’s it.”
After Tsarukyan suffered a back injury ahead of a scheduled Makhachev title fight this past January, UFC CEO Dana White stated that Tsarukyan will have to work his way back to the shot. An Oliveira rematch arose in discussions soon after and Tsarukyan was open to it despite having already won the first fight.
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Oliveira isn’t in the same boat. If he had his way, he’d ideally return to fight for a title of some kind during International Fight Week at UFC 317 on June 28. Unless there’s a belt attached, rematching Tsarukyan isn’t of interest.
“It all comes down to the title,” Oliveira said. “If not Islam, maybe [the UFC’s ceremonial] BMF [belt]. There’s a lot of talk about [Dustin] Poirier fighting somebody else, Islam going up. I don’t know, I can’t concern myself with all these things. All I gotta do is prepare myself and be ready when it comes time.
“We are working hard on that [target date for a return]. Our whole team has been working hard on that for a while now. It would great. Hopefully, you can see me on fight week [soon].”
