Islam Makhachev dethroned Charles Oliveira with a dominant submission win at UFC 280 in October. The former lightweight champion has since gone missing from the title picture as Makhachev is scheduled to fight featherweight champion and pound-for-pound king Alexander Volkanovksi at UFC 284 in February.
However, ‘do Bronx’ doesn’t consider himself too far removed from the lightweight title scenario. Oliveira, in fact, is confident of being just a single victory away from getting another shot at UFC gold.
The former UFC champion is looking to fight in March-April, which will set him up for an immediate title shot at the end of the year. Charles Oliveira said in a recent interview with Ag.Fight:
“I’ve been a long way from that belt. Today I’m one fight away from him. UFC knows that, knows what I want. I didn’t come here to play, I came to make history. I want to fight around the end of March, April, that’s my timing. I need to fight on that date. And I need a guy who, [if I win against], will definitely be the next challenger for the title. Because he [Islam] will fight now in February. So I, in March, April, caught a guy who puts me in front of the goal again for the title at the end of the year. For sure [just one more fight to the belt]. Now I fight in March, April and at the end of the year for the title again” h/t Ag.Fight
Watch Charles Oliveira’s interview below:
Charles Oliveira reveals potential opponent who can propel him towards the title
Another deserving contender who’s missing out from the immediate title scenario is Beneil Dariush. Currently riding an eight-fight win streak, ‘Benny’ isn’t willing to wait for a title shot, although both Alexander Volkanovksi and Islam Makhachev have promised him one.
Charles Oliveira wonders if Dairush might exactly be the opponent he’s seeking. Citing similarities between himself and ‘Benny’, ‘do Bronx’ further told Ag.Fight:
“With Dariush, the same thing happened to me. He stayed outside the Top 5 for a long time, wanting the opportunity. I understood why people don’t give that opportunity, they don’t want people to enter the Top 5. Dariush comes from a huge winning streak, he comes from the same school as me, Chute Boxe. But that’s how I talked to Diego [Lima], ‘Could it be that this is the fight that would put me straight in the fight for the belt?’”