“I’ll beat him [Makhachev]. So who knows, maybe [Nurmagomedov] comes out of retirement and comes too?
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Charles Oliveira, a former UFC lightweight champion, has threatened to defeat Islam Makhachev if they agree to a fight exclusively on his terms. Oliveira is hoping that Khabib Nurmagomedov would be persuaded to come out of retirement by this victory. Makhachev, a Nurmagomedov teammate who is now under the direction of the retired former champion, has been pushing for a matchup with Oliveira to determine the next title. The Dagestan native originally wanted the fight to happen in Abu Dhabi later this year.
Oliveira, who won the lightweight championship after Nurmagomedov retired in the capital of the UAE in late 2020, lost it in May after failing to make weight for his scheduled title defence against Justin Gaethje at UFC 274. The Brazilian is now open to fighting Makhachev instead of Conor McGregor, who was the previous dual champion of the UFC. But only when and where he chooses.
Oliveira told YouTube channel Ag. Fight, “If they really want it, they need to chase the champion,” Oliveira told YouTube channel Ag. Fight. “I chased the champion, right? Then I became the champion. I want to fight in December. Do you really want this? So let’s do something cool. Now I’m talking to you. Let’s fight in January in Brazil? Isn’t that what you really want? So sell it more. But look at this, Khabib, you’ve already tried three premonitions about me and missed all three. I won’t say I’m going to submit or knock him out, but I’ll beat him. Listen to this: I will beat Islam Makhachev. The division’s problem is called Charles Oliveira. It doesn’t matter what they say. If they really want it, I want it, too.”
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With 22 professional mixed martial arts matches under his belt, Makhachev is on a 10-fight winning run and has only lost once. Oliveira, meanwhile, has won 11 straight matches to raise his professional record to 33-8. Since Nurmagomedov ended his career at 29-0 at UFC 254 in Abu Dhabi, the division’s most recent champion has been in excellent shape. He initially won the vacant championship with a shocking knockout victory over Michael Chandler in May of last year. Oliveira then won consecutive submission wins over Gaethje and Dustin Poirier.
Oliveira siad, “I’ll beat him [Makhachev]. So who knows, maybe [Nurmagomedov] comes out of retirement and comes too? Each one says what they want. I am the division’s problem. I have one of the best jiu-jitsu in the division and in the UFC. I think these guys are talking too much. They want to get in my mind, but that’s not possible. [Nurmagomedov] was champion, 29 wins in a row, and never said anything. He always sold the fight in a good way, really damn well, and today he is always talking a lot. And if it’s to talk, I’m going to say it: I’ll beat Islam Makhachev and then challenge Khabib to come back from retirement. It’s the fight everyone will want to see. Everyone says Khabib is [expletive] tough. I respect him a lot, but lately, he’s been talking too much.”
Stephen Thompson declines the quick turnaround fight and wants Usman next.
