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There are few fighters besides Charles Oliveira, who are deserving of the moniker 'The People's Champ'. At UFC 289, 'do Bronx' once again dazzled fans in attendance with a vintage performance after finishing streaking lightweight Beneil Dariush via first-round TKO.
He punctuated his win with his first-ever English interview, calling for a title fight with Islam Makhachev at UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi later this year. If the bout is scheduled, it will be a rematch of the pair's 2022 clash at UFC 280, which saw the Dagestani phenom dethrone Oliveira to capture lightweight gold.
While some might call for a fresh matchup for Makhachev, especially with the 'BMF' bout between Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje set to headline UFC 291, Charles Oliveira deserves the next crack at Islam Makhachev's title. Here's why.
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It is unlikely that Dustin Poirier or Justin Gaethje will be ready for UFC 294
Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje are finishers known for their propensity to drag foes into the action-packed deep waters. The pair's previous clash produced 2018's Fight of the Year. If their rematch, which will be contested for the 'BMF' belt, in any way resembles their first clash, both men will be too battle-worn.
The cuts, bruises and injuries they'll sustain after facing each other combined with the probable knockdowns that'll happen could lead to lengthy medical suspensions. With the bout taking place on the 29th of July, there is little separating it from the October date for UFC 294.
Islam Makhachev will need an opponent ready to make the trip to Abu Dhabi by then. The victor of the lightweight 'BMF' clash is unlikely to be ready for such a quick turnaround, least of all due to the damage they are expected to sustain.
Barring a quick finish in the first round or even the second, neither Poirier nor Gaethje are likely options for the Dagestani grappler's next foe.
Alexander Volkanovski needs more time to prepare for a rematch with Islam Makhachev
The time between Alexander Volkanovski's last featherweight bout and his subsequent lightweight clash with Islam Makhachev was seven months. He previously faced Max Holloway for the UFC featherweight crown in the pair's trilogy bout. 'The Great' needs ample time to prepare for his 155-pound return.
First, the Australian kingpin requires time to bulk back up to his lightweight frame, especially after his return back down to 145 pounds. Due to his emphasis on filling out his frame intelligently so as not to gas out and suffer from other complications, Volkanovski will require more time to prepare.
This is somewhat improbable given how close his UFC 290 featherweight title defense against interim champion Yair Rodriguez is to the UFC 294 date. Furthermore, 'Pantera' is a dangerous striker who damages nearly every single opponent he faces, and 'The Great' is likely to sustain damage against him.
While Volkanovski is expected to win his bout against Rodriguez, it is not a guarantee, and even a win runs the risk of a medical suspension that will leave him with suboptimal time to prepare for a Makhachev rematch.
There are no other clear contenders at lightweight
The UFC lightweight division is arguably the deepest weight class in the promotion. However, there are no clear contenders in the division, other than Charles Oliveira, for Islam Makhachev to face. No one outside the top five in the rankings should be in a position to challenge the Dagestani for his divisional strap.
But besides Charles Oliveira, the top five consists of Beneil Dariush, Michael Chandler, Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje. Beneil Dariush just lost to the Brazilian finisher, meanwhile, Chandler last suffered a third-round submission loss to 'The Diamond', so neither he nor Dariush are in a position for a title shot.
Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje are scheduled to fight each other, with the two men currently being on one-fight win streaks. Charles Oliveira is the only fighter coming off a win with no scheduled bout in place.
Charles Oliveira is the only option at lightweight
Alexander Volkanovski is scheduled for a featherweight title defense that he is not guaranteed to win. Meanwhile, neither Dustin Poirier nor Justin Gaethje are likely to be healthy enough to step into the UFC 294 main event after headlining an almost certain war at UFC 291.
Charles Oliveira is the only one. He previously faced Islam Makhachev for the then vacant 155-pound title at UFC 280. Unfortunately, Charles Oliveira suffered a second-round loss via arm-triangle choke. This came after he was knocked down during an exchange. It was a crushing defeat.
The Brazilian action fighter bounced back by returning against a streaking Beneil Dariush, whose stretch of victories included eight consecutive wins. Despite an ill-advised decision to pull the Iranian-American into guard, Charles Oliveira subsequently stood back to his feet and rocked his foe with a head kick.
It was the beginning of the end and 'do Bronx' quickly scored a first-round TKO to place himself ahead of the pack. Not only did he win, but he did so against a fighter with a long win streak before calling for his shot against Islam Makhachev in his first-ever post-fight interview in English.
Lastly, there is a story to tell about the Brazilian's redemption as he tries to exact his revenge against a man he considers a usurper in his division.
