Charles Oliveira has been told he should have asked for a fight with Khabib Nurmagomedov to be included in his deal to face Islam Makhachev.
The Brazilian star was stripped of his 155lb title earlier this year after missing weight for his defence against Justin Gaethje. Despite coming through the meeting unscathed, Oliveira will now have to fight to reclaim the belt in Abu Dhabi on October 22.
He is the protege of former undefeated champion Nurmagomedov who retired from the sport back in 2020. And UFC legend Chael Sonnen has questioned why Oliveira's team have not used Makhachev as a bargaining chip to lure the Russian back into the octagon. "Charles and his team didn't ask for it, did they (a fight with Nurmagomedov)?," Sonnen said on his YouTube channel when analysing the deal between Oliveira and Makhachev.
"They didn't even think to ask for it. He left the single golden nugget, the single greatest piece, out of it. It was offered to Conor McGregor, it was straight up publicly by Khabib offered to McGregor. Hey Conor, come fight Islam. If you win, I'll come back and fight you. Ok great, it was good enough for McGregor. Charles Oliveira the largest pay-per-view draw of 2022 could not negotiate that deal and couldn't get the same deal.
"I would then have to wonder why? Charles and his team didn't ask for it, did they? If Khabib says it is done it is done but he has never said it for Charles. He didn't say it for Charles because he wasn't asked to say it. Charles didn't force him to say it, he wasn't going to go to Abu Dhabi and then all of a sudden he grabbed the paper and signed for it."
Nurmagomedov retired with an undefeated record having also ousted the challenge of Justin Gaethje before hanging up his gloves. The Russian star has frequently suggested he would never enter the octagon again on his mother's wishes and is focused on his promotional career for new brand Eagle FC.
Who would win if the pair fought - Charles Oliveira or Khabib Nurmagomedov? Let us know in the comments section below
However Oliveira has previously claimed Nurmagomedov would be unable to resist the possibility of fighting again if he watches Makhachev come up short in his maiden title shot. Nurmagomedov was instrumental in securing Makhachev's title shot even sending messages to UFC president Dana White.
And the Brazilian former champion believes Nurmagomedov is too involved to avoid being dragged into their rivalry this October. “I’ll beat him," Oliveira told Ag Fight. "Who knows, maybe you [Nurmagomedov] come of retirement and come too? Each one says what they want. I am the division’s problem.
“He 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."
