5 ways the Charles Oliveira vs. Islam Makhachev fight could play out
It was recently announced that Charles Oliveira will face Islam Makhachev for the UFC lightweight championship. Oliveira is the uncrowned king of the division, having never lost the belt, but he will have his work cut out for him against Khabib Nurmagomedov's student.
Charles Oliveira is set to fight Islam Makhachev on October 22 in Abu Dhabi
Winner takes the UFC lightweight title 🍿 https://t.co/PeN317UNyS
Makhachev is on a 10-fight winning streak and has only suffered one defeat in his 23-fight career. With that being said, he has never faced anyone as skilled as Charles Oliveira, who is on an even more impressive 11-fight win streak.
While Oliveira has proven himself against the best fighters in the division, he is currently the underdog heading into this fight. With so many possible ways this fight could play out, here are the five that seem the most likely:
#5. Charles Oliveira knocks out Islam Makhachev with his striking
Charles Oliveira may be better known for his Brazilian jiu-jitsu, but his striking has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years. This became overwhelmingly apparent when ‘Do Bronx’ defeated Michael Chandler to win the lightweight title via TKO. Few expected him to have a striking advantage in that match-up.
Charles Oliveira waves off doubters against Islam Makhachev at UFC 280: ‘I’ve fought tougher people’ mmafighting.com/2022/7/24/2327… https://t.co/K0Ib3a4hOO
Oliveira knocked down Justin Gaethje in his last fight, and although the Brazilian has also suffered a number of knockdowns recently, engaging with him on the ground is incredibly risky. If Makhachev does choose to steer clear of Oliveira’s ground game, there's a chance he could get caught on the feet.
Oliveira may not be known for his power, but he has knocked out three of his last seven opponents via his striking. If both fighters’ grappling skills cancel each other out and they end up in a stand-up battle, most imagine the Brazilian would have the advantage. As good as Makhachev is, his one loss came via KO punch.