3 reasons why Charles Oliveira will defeat Dustin Poirier and 2 reasons he won't

#4. Charles Oliveira has improved as a striker

During his early time in the UFC, Charles Oliveira struggled with weight at 145-pounds. Throughout his experience at featherweight he showed signs of brilliance but faltered under pressure. Revitalized again at 155-pounds, Oliveira has developed his striking to compliment his style.

'Do Bronx' can focus less on being taken down, since the consequences of going to the canvas with him are so dire. With nineteen career submissions, Charles Oliveira holds the record for most submission victories in the UFC. With a back pocket full of submissions, Oliveira can commit to his strikes now more than ever.

Charles Oliveira has made drastic improvements to his striking repertoire. The lightweight champion utilizes a prodding teep kick to keep opponents from applying too much pressure. In the opening frame against Chandler, he used the same push teep kick to establish range in round one.

The teep kick is a staple for his striking toolbox. In addition, during his 2020 bouts with Kevin Lee and Tony Ferguson, Charles Oliveira showed improvements in his striking, as well as a renewed ability to withstand punishment.

Despite being a prominent Brazilian jui-jitsu practitioner, Oliveira put his striking skills to use during his rise up the ranks. Most notably, the Brazilian's right hand became a powerful weapon. With the addition of his teeps and leg kicks, Charles Oliveira has become a slick striker and, of course, an even more dangerous finisher.

#3. Finishing Instincts

One of the leading reasons Charles Oliveira will defeat Dustin Poirier is his affinity for finishes. The lightweight champion holds the record for most finishes in UFC history. Oliveira may struggle to get Poirier to the canvas, but the evolution in his striking will be critical to his first successful title defense.

11-time performance of the night bonus recipient, Charles Oliveira is always in exciting fights. The turning point, which led to his epic title run, started with New York's Jared Gordon. The two fought in 2019, and Oliveira demonstrated a new level of stand-up.

The maturation in his footwork continued to develop, and when he faced Tony Ferguson a year later, the Brazilian native used it to great success. Though, his submission attempts were close to finishing the contest on a number of occasions

Charles Oliveira's style lends itself to ending the fight by submission or TKO/knockout. With the ability to snatch necks and create openings for unexpected submissions, the lightweight champion has options.

Charles Oliveira uses a variety of submissions. While he has scored on arm-bars and Anaconda chokes, his primary submission of choice is the guillotine choke. In fact, the guillotine pairs excellently with the forward pressure style of 'Do Bronx' and also when defensive tactics are necessary.

The UFC 269 lightweight title fight will test the resolve of both combatants. For the sake of clarity, let's take a closer look at two reasons why Charles Oliveira won't be able to defeat Dustin Poirier in their prospective battle for gold.