Nobody could accuse UFC lightweight champion-in-waiting Charles Oliveira of shying away from an honest challenge these past few years, and it’ll certainly be even tougher to make that allegation stick after the audacious challenge he’s issued Alexander Volkanovski.
During a UFC 280 media day interview in Abu Dhabi, Do Bronx was prompted about Australia’s very own featherweight top dog / reigning pound-for-pound king, who is currently locked in as the official backup fighter for Oliveira’s main card bout against Islam Makhachev should anything happen to either party.
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“First of all we’re gonna focus on what’s going to happen [at UFC 280],” Charles Oliveira told reporters through a translator.
“If we’re going to make this happen, Charles against Alexander Volkanovski, we’re gonna have it two ways: we’re gonna fight at 155 pounds [lightweight] and then we’re gonna fight 145 [featherweight] pounds.”
“So we’re going to fight in two weight divisions. I can fight [in Australia], but for his belt.”
Asked if he could feasibly make the weight (because, well… you know), Oliveira simply replied: “Surely, I have a great team for this to get down to 145.”
Assuming the bottle blonde Brazilian does triumph over Khabib Nurmagomedov’s protégé to reclaim his title this weekend – and assuming UFC President Dana White can somehow get the athletic commission to sanction what will be a pay-per-view revenue killing – 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).
“I think Islam Makhachev will win. If it doesn’t go the distance, I’m looking at Charles,” Alexander Volkanovski recently told BH in conversation about his UFC 280 predictions.
“If Charles wins and I face Charles early next year – whoo! Laughing, you know? And then everyone will be going nuts about that as well. I’m really, really looking forward to that one.”
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“I think what’s better is Charles winning. Because it’s a big fight, there’s a lot of hype around him, and he wants to fight early next year. So it makes a lot more sense for me, ‘cos then I can fight him January. There’s a Rio card in January [UFC 283].”
“And 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,” added Dan Hooker during the same lunch/interview with BH.
“I’ve had five title fights. I think I deserve to defend my belt where I’m not getting booed,” 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 – October 23rd of 2022, 5 AM [AEDT]).
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