Nobody could accuse UFC lightweight champion-in-waiting Charles Oliveira of shying away from an honest challenge these past few years, and itโll certainly be even tougher to make that allegation stick after the audacious challenge heโs issued Alexander Volkanovski.
During a UFC 280 media day interview in Abu Dhabi, Do Bronx was prompted about Australiaโs very own featherweight top dog / reigning pound-for-pound king, who is currently locked in as the official backup fighter for Oliveiraโs main card bout against Islam Makhachev should anything happen to either party.
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โFirst of all weโre gonna focus on whatโs going to happen [at UFC 280],โ Charles Oliveira told reporters through a translator.
โIf weโre going to make this happen, Charles against Alexander Volkanovski, weโre gonna have it two ways: weโre gonna fight at 155 pounds [lightweight] and then weโre gonna fight 145 [featherweight] pounds.โ
โSo weโre going to fight in two weight divisions. I can fight [in Australia], but for his belt.โ
Asked if he could feasibly make the weight (because, wellโฆ you know), Oliveira simply replied: โSurely, I have a great team for this to get down to 145.โ
Assuming the bottle blonde Brazilian does triumph over Khabib Nurmagomedovโs protรฉgรฉ to reclaim his title this weekend โ and assuming UFC President Dana White can somehow get the athletic commission to sanction what will be a pay-per-view revenue killing โ Charles Oliveira will essentially be fighting against Alexander Volkanovski twice in three weeks: UFC 283 in Rio de Janeiro (January 21st of 2023) then UFC 284 in Perth (February 12th of 2023).
โI think Islam Makhachev will win. If it doesnโt go the distance, Iโm looking at Charles,โ Alexander Volkanovski recently told BH in conversation about his UFC 280 predictions.
โIf Charles wins and I face Charles early next year โ whoo! Laughing, you know? And then everyone will be going nuts about that as well. Iโm really, really looking forward to that one.โ
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โI think whatโs better is Charles winning. Because itโs a big fight, thereโs a lot of hype around him, and he wants to fight early next year. So it makes a lot more sense for me, โcos then I can fight him January. Thereโs a Rio card in January [UFC 283].โ
โAnd the division will move a lot quicker if Oliveira is the champ. He fights regularly, he puts on a show. Makhachev will probably fight mid-year,โ added Dan Hooker during the same lunch/interview with BH.
โIโve had five title fights. I think I deserve to defend my belt where Iโm not getting booed,โ said Volkanovski.
What a time to be alive.
UFC 280: Charles Oliveira vs Islam Makhachev is scheduled to go down this Sunday at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (Main Card Local Time โ October 23rd of 2022, 5 AM [AEDT]).
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