Charles Oliveira plans to make a statement at UFC 288 vs. Beneil Dariush.
Former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira is planning a quick night at the office at UFC 288.
Charles Oliveira will face the surging contender Beneil Dariush at UFC 288 later this year. He’s looking to get back in the win column after a disappointing loss to Islam Makhachev for the vacant lightweight belt at UFC 280 last October.
Charles Oliveira and Dariush have expressed mutual respect ahead of their UFC 288 co-main event. The fight has been tabbed as a potential No. 1 contender bout as Makhachev takes time off to celebrate Ramadan.
Oliveira is out to remind the rest of the division, and Dariush, of how dangerous he is inside the cage.
Charles Oliveira Has Dark Intentions For Beneil Dariush Fight
During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Oliveira revealed how he’s approaching this fight with Dariush.
“I can’t say I’ll do a strategic fight, that I’ll be waiting,” Oliveira said. “No, that’s not Charles fighting. Charles walks forward, he hunts the entire time. So if you want to watch a boring fight, don’t come watch my fight. You’ll see me get knocked down, dropped, and get back up. Like you said, [Dariush] has been knocked out before, he’s been submitted. He has holes, just like I do. That’s what matters the most, wanting to win no matter what.”
“I want it so bad. I want to become champion again, I want to win, I want to make history. I’m hungry to win. I’m like a lion hunting.”
Before his last loss to Makhachev, Oliveira earned wins over the likes of Dustin Poirier, Michael Chandler, and Justin Gaethje. He earned the then-vacant title over Chandler at UFC 262.
Oliviera and Dariush are both known to move forward in their fights. In his last fight against Mateusz Gamrot, Dariush controlled the pace of the fight from beginning to end.
Oliveira is aching for a rematch with Makhachev, and an impressive performance against Dariush might be enough to make his desire become a reality.
