"An immediate rematch is not on the cards for him" - Michael Chiesa names ideal opponent for Charles Oliveira's next fight, wants the bout to take place in Brazil

Michael Chiesa recently weighed in on Charles Oliveira's loss to Islam Makhachev at UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi this past weekend. Chiesa even suggested a potential fight between the former champion and surging contender Beneil Dariush, who defeated Mateusz Gamrot at the same event.

Prior to his defeat to Makhachev, Oliveira was riding an astonishing 11-fight win streak. Soon after coming up short in his bid to win the vacant title, 'do Bronx' vowed to re-claim the lightweight strap.

Evaluating Charles Oliveira's future alongside Paul Felder, Chiesa named Beneil Dariush as the ideal opponent for the Brazilian's next fight. The UFC welterweight contender highlighted that an immediate rematch with Islam Makhachev is unlikely, and that 'do Bronx' would need one more win before contesting the belt again:

"Maybe we finally see Beneil Dariush finally fight Charles Oliveira. I know Charles Oliveira wants to get back in there... An immediate rematch is not on the cards for him. But if he wants to get back to that, him and Beneil in Brazil... I mean it would be the first time that Beneil's gone down south and had to go fight somebody."

Watch the latest episode of Round-Up w/ Paul Felder & Michael Chiesa below:

Makhachev made his intentions clear after his win over Oliveira. The Russian is targeting reigning featherweight and pound-for-pound king Alexander Volkanovski, calling for a superfight against the Australian in his post-fight interview.

Considering the one-sided nature of his loss to Makhachev, Oliveira's case for a rematch isn't very strong. With the UFC returning to Brazil in January next year for UFC 283, 'do Bronx' could feature on the pay-per-view card. A fight against Beneil Dariush appears to make sense for all parties involved.

---

Beneil Dariush open to a potential fight against Charles Oliveira

Beneil Dariush extended his win streak to eight with his unanimous decision victory over Mateusz Gamrot at UFC 280. Dariush was the betting underdog going into the bout, while Gamrot, a former two-division KSW champion, was the favorite.

Looking ahead, Dariush wants to stay active. In a recent interview with Submission Radio, he discussed a potential matchup against Rafael Fiziev, but added that a fight against Charles Oliveira, who is currently ranked No.1, would be the better option.

With Islam Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski expected to headline UFC 284 in Australia next year, Dariush will likely need another high-profile win to make his case for a title shot undeniable. He currently occupies the No.4 spot in the lightweight rankings, behind Oliveira (No.1), Dustin Poirier (No.2) and Justin Gaethje (No.3).