Charles Oliveira hopes beating Khabib Nurmagomedov’s protege can lure him out of retirement.
Islam Makhachev has been chomping at the bit to fight ex-UFC lightweight champion Oliveira for the vacant title and while the Brazilian wasn’t on board, he’s now open to the idea after hearing Nurmagomedov say Makhachev would take the fight in Brazil and submit him in front of his own fans.
Oliveira (33-8 MMA, 21-8 UFC), who was stripped of his title after missing weight against Justin Gaethje at UFC 274, has been eyeing a money fight with former dual UFC champion Conor McGregor but is willing to put that wish aside if Makhachev (22-1 MMA, 11-1 UFC) fights him on his terms.
“If they really want it, they need to chase the champion,” Oliveira told 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.
“Look, 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. That’s the division’s problem. It doesn’t matter what they say. If they really want it, I want it, too.
“Look, forget about Conor McGregor now. Forget it. In Brazil, Charles Oliveira against Islam Makhachev. Is this the fight you want? So we will have it. Charles Oliveira against Islam Makhachev in Brazil.”
After Nurmagomedov retired, Oliveira captured the vacant lightweight title with a knockout of Michael Chandler. He followed that up with back-to-back submissions of former interim champs Dustin Poirier and Gaethje and would be ready to continue his tear by putting Makhachev on his highlight reel too.
Nurmagomedov has been campaigning for Makhachev to get his shot, and Oliveira wouldn’t mind shutting both of them up.
“I’ll beat him (Makhachev). So who knows, maybe you (Nurmagomedov) come of retirement and come too?” Oliveira said. “Each one says what they want. I am the division’s problem. I have one of the best jiu-jitsu (games) 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.”
He continued, “(Khabib) 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 gonna 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. Isn’t that what everyone will want to see? Everyone says Khabib is f*cking tough. I respect him a lot, but lately, he’s been talking too much.”
