Former UFC lightweight champion [autotag]Charles Oliveira[/autotag] isn’t sure how he fits into the suddenly crowded top of the 155-pound division, but he knows he wants his next fight to be for a title belt.
“The division is very complicated,” Oliveira said in an interview with online sportsbook Oddspedia. “I think I deserve to be next in line, but I work for Zuffa. There is talk about Dustin Poirier, Justin Gaethje, Ilia Topuria. I’m just waiting on the call. I don’t know who is next. There is talk, but I just don’t know.”
The possibilities seem endless coming out of last week’s UFC 313 where [autotag]Justin Gaethje[/autotag] defeated Rafael Fiziev in another barnburner between the two. Afterward, Gaethje made his case for a shot at [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag], especially since he represents the only fresh matchup of the top three fighters officially ranked behind the reigning UFC champion. [autotag]Arman Tsarukyan[/autotag], No.1, and No. 2 Oliveira have both been beaten by Makhachev before, although Tsarukyan lost out on his chance at a rematch in January by withdrawing from their UFC 311 title fight. No. 3 Gaethje is certainly also under consideration, but there’s a potential X-factor in [autotag]Ilia Topuria[/autotag], who is vacating his featherweight title for a move to lightweight.
If Topuria doesn’t get an immediate title shot at 155 pounds, Oliveira wouldn’t mind welcoming him to the division.
“Whoever I get told to fight, I’m going to fight,” Oliveira said. “I have nothing but respect for Ilia Topuria, but this is lightweight. It’s the most difficult division you have ever seen, and I have power in my hands. I believe in my jiu-jitsu, but I believe that I could knock Illa Topuria out.”
A fight with Topuria, however, wouldn’t be for a UFC belt. And if it’s not a title-fight rematch with Makhachev that comes next, Oliveira prefers to run it back with Max Holloway for his BMF title belt.
“A fight against Max Holloway would be huge, and I’m confident that it would be me with my arm raised,” Oliveira said. “The first time we fought I had an injury that stopped me performing. We are both aggressive fighters, and I believe in the power in my hands, as well as my BJJ. There would be a lot of hype around the fight.
“I would be chasing the knockout, and the BMF means the toughest guy in the division, right? I want to show that I’m the toughest guy in the
division. When we speak about legacy, we speak about being the champion, but BMF is about being the toughest guy, and that’s what I consider myself to be in this division. I believe that I have shown that, and having the BMF belt is the only thing that is missing.”
Oliveira, who’s coming off an entertaining win over Michael Chandler last November, remains unclear as to what his future holds. But as long as he fights for a belt next, he’ll be happy.
“I want to fight for a title either way,” Oliveira said. “Now I’m just sitting waiting for the call.”