Charles Oliveira, the former UFC lightweight champ, is scratching his head trying to figure out where he slots into the jam-packed top of the 155-pound division. One thing he’s crystal clear on, though? His next fight better be for a belt—any belt. The lightweight scene’s a mess right now, and Oliveira’s just waiting for the UFC to sort it out and give him the call.
“The division is very complicated,” Oliveira said in an interview with online sportsbook *Oddspedia*. “I think I deserve to be next in line, but I work for Zuffa. There is talk about Dustin Poirier, Justin Gaethje, Ilia Topuria. I’m just waiting on the call. I don’t know who is next. There is talk, but I just don’t know.” It’s a fair point—the top of the lightweight heap is a puzzle with too many pieces. Last week’s UFC 313 only muddied the waters more, with Justin Gaethje putting on another wild show against Rafael Fiziev. Gaethje’s win had him pounding his chest for a crack at champ Islam Makhachev, and he’s got a case: he’s the only top-three guy Makhachev hasn’t already beaten. Arman Tsarukyan, ranked No. 1, and No. 2 Oliveira both have losses to Makhachev on their records, and Tsarukyan’s recent pullout from a UFC 311 rematch didn’t help his stock. Gaethje, sitting at No. 3, looks like a fresh challenge, but then there’s Ilia Topuria tossing his hat in the ring after ditching his featherweight belt to jump to 155.
If Topuria doesn’t leapfrog straight to a title shot, Oliveira’s cool with being the lightweight welcoming committee. “Whoever I get told to fight, I’m going to fight,” Oliveira said. “I have nothing but respect for Ilia Topuria, but this is lightweight. It’s the most difficult division you have ever seen, and I have power in my hands. I believe in my jiu-jitsu, but I believe that I could knock Ilia Topuria out.” It’s a bold claim, but Oliveira’s got the receipts—his hands and his BJJ have been terrorizing lightweights for years. Still, a scrap with Topuria wouldn’t come with gold attached, and that’s a problem for “Do Bronx.” He’s got his eyes on a title fight, period. If it’s not a rematch with Makhachev, he’s got another idea: a BMF title clash with Max Holloway.
“A fight against Max Holloway would be huge, and I’m confident that it would be me with my arm raised,” Oliveira said. “The first time we fought I had an injury that stopped me performing. We are both aggressive fighters, and I believe in the power in my hands, as well as my BJJ. There would be a lot of hype around the fight.
“I would be chasing the knockout, and the BMF means the toughest guy in the division, right? I want to show that I’m the toughest guy in the division. When we speak about legacy, we speak about being the champion, but BMF is about being the toughest guy, and that’s what I consider myself to be in this division. I believe that I have shown that, and having the BMF belt is the only thing that is missing.” That first Holloway fight back in 2015 ended quick with Oliveira bowing out due to injury, so a rematch feels like unfinished business. Plus, pitting two fan-favorite brawlers like them—with the BMF strap on the line—would light the MMA world on fire.
Oliveira’s coming off a thrilling win over Michael Chandler last November, a scrap that reminded everyone why he’s still a top dog at 155. But what’s next? He’s not sure, and the lightweight logjam isn’t making it any clearer. All he knows is he wants a belt in his hands when the dust settles. “I want to fight for a title either way,” Oliveira said. “Now I’m just sitting waiting for the call.” Whether it’s Makhachev’s lightweight crown or Holloway’s BMF bragging rights, Oliveira’s ready to throw down—he just needs the phone to ring.
