Can Charles Oliveira beat Islam Makhachev in rematch? Beneil Dariush speaks on 'do Bronx'

Charles Oliveira made his triumphant octagon return this past Saturday at UFC 289. The former UFC lightweight champion defeated fellow 155-pounder Beneil Dariush, whose previous eight-fight win streak had earned him a title eliminator against 'do Bronx'. Unfortunately for Dariush, he was the recipient of a TKO loss.

In the wake of his win, Charles Oliveira called for a rematch against reigning lightweight kingpin Islam Makhachev. The pair previously clashed at UFC 280, which saw Oliveira taste defeat via submission. In the aftermath of UFC 289, Dariush offered his thoughts on Oliveira's chances in a rematch with Makhachev.

During an interview on Submission Radio, the Iranian-American expressed his belief that a rematch with Islam Makhachev is likely a difficult matchup for 'do Bronx'. Despite his own loss to Charles Oliveira, Beneil Dariush claimed that during the pair's wrestling exchanges, he was unimpressed.

"It's a tough fight for Charles, to be honest with you, because when I grabbed him, in terms of wrestling, he tried something that I was like 'Why would you do that?' He tried so hard to lift and finish the takedown, he put himself on his back and ended up like pulling guard. So, in terms of grappling and wrestling specifically, I still see too many holes in his game."

However, it wasn't just Oliveira's grappling and wrestling that Dariush evaluated. He also offered his thoughts on the former champion's striking.

"In terms of striking, man I honestly didn't get a good feel for him. I saw... I felt a little bit of his speed, a little bit of his timing, I agree with you guys, he does have a good amount of power, but like... obviously, I think he's going to do better than last time. Let me put it that way. I think he's going to do much better than last time, but I still think it's going to be a hard fight for him against Makhachev."

---

Was UFC 289 the first time Charles Oliveira spoke English?

UFC 289 featured a vintage Charles Oliveira performance in terms of him extending his finishing record in the promotion. The Brazilian action fighter also stunned the Canadian fans in attendance with his post-fight interview. Not only did 'do Bronx' call for a rematch with Islam Makhachev, he did so in English.

This marked the first-ever time under the UFC banner that Oliveira spoke in English in a post-fight interview. Given the deafening reaction he drew compared to every other fighter on the card, this will only elevate his star power as the greatest barrier for many Brazilians is their lack of English-speaking skills.