"I think Charles is pissed off"- Chael Sonnen speculates about Charles Oliveira's mentality going into the title fight against Islam Makhachev at UFC 280

Charles Oliveira (L), Chael Sonnen (M), and Islam Makhachev (R) [Image credit: Chris Unger and Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC]

As the most anticipated fight in recent UFC lightweight history edges closer, Chael Sonnen took time to question what Charles Oliveira's mindset is ahead of the Islam Makhachev clash.

The Russian prospect has been almost unstoppable in the octagon thus far, and aside from a loss to Adriano Martins seven years ago, he is arguably the most dominant fighter in the weight class. He himself, Khabib Nurmagomedov, and many big MMA outlets believe he will walk away as the 155 pound king after UFC 280.

In a video posted to his subscribers on YouTube, Chael Sonnen attempted to delve deep into the mind of Charles Oliveira and consider where the Brazilian's head is at as he heads into what is potentially the biggest fight of his career.

"I think Charles is pi**ed off. I think Charles is pi**ed off [because he] was the champion, [but] hasn't lost. He was the champion and hasn't lost, and he's a three-to-one underdog. I think that upsets him — I think that insults him. Charles makes a very good point. He hits really hard... He grapples very well... He's a big guy. He checks a lot of boxes."

Although there is no official champion at 155 pounds, 'do Bronx' is regarded by many to be the rightful king of the lightweight division, as he only lost his title due to an issue making weight.

Despite not defeating any high-ranked opponents, Islam Makhachev's sheer dominance and his back-to-back first-round finishes of Dan Hooker and Bobby Green have earned the rising prospect a shot to become a UFC champion.

Check out what Chael Sonnen had to say about Oliveira's mentality in the video below:

Charles Oliveira overcoming the underdog status

As a consistent underdog throughout his career, Charles Oliveira has proved doubters wrong as of late, racking up four straight years of stellar performances inside the cage.

While he is currently on an 11-fight unbeaten run, the submission specialist wasn't always the unbeatable figure he seems to be. The Brazilian lost eight times in his first seven years with the company, leaving a negative stigma attached to his name.

Against Dustin Poirier, Oliveira was once again the betting underdog, but he managed to overcome those odds by defending his belt and submitting 'The Diamond' in the process.

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