Charles Oliveira puts out conditions for a potential move up to welterweight after Islam Makhachev fight
Charles Oliveira has outlined the conditions for a potential move up from the lightweight to the welterweight division. Former UFC lightweight champion Oliveira is scheduled to face reigning UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev in a rematch at UFC 294 on October 21, 2023.
Their first fight transpired in October 2022 and witnessed Makhachev defeat Oliveira via second-round submission to capture the UFC lightweight title. Following that, Makhachev successfully defended his lightweight belt via unanimous decision in a super-fight against UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski in February 2023.
Meanwhile, Charles Oliveira returned to the win column with a first-round TKO stoppage over Beneil Dariush in June 2023. After Makhachev and Oliveira's wins, the UFC booked them to clash in a rematch at UFC 294.
In a recent interview with James Lynch for My MMA News, Oliveira was asked whether he'll ever fight at welterweight in his career. Thus far, 'do Bronx' has competed in the featherweight (145-pound), lightweight (155-pound), and welterweight (170-pound) divisions as a professional MMA fighter.
Charles Oliveira's welterweight run was relatively brief and came at the beginning of his MMA career. The Brazilian UFC star has primarily fought in the featherweight and lightweight divisions. Responding to Lynch's question, Oliveira addressed a potential return to welterweight after the Makhachev fight and suggested that he'd be open to it.
Nevertheless, he emphasized that the money and situation ought to be right if he is to move up to welterweight. 'Do Bronx' stated the following via his translator:
"Really, my future just kind of depends on how things play out. If the money's right, the situation's right, you know, it feels good for me, [then] a 100 percent. But it just has to be in the right circumstances."
Watch Oliveira discuss the topic at 10:47 in the video below:
Charles Oliveira's coach on his star pupil facing Islam Makhachev in a rematch
Prior to the Islam Makhachev vs. Charles Olivera rematch being officially announced by the UFC, Oliveira's coach Diego Lima put forth his prediction for their second encounter. In an interview with MMA Fighting's Guilherme Cruz, Lima asserted that 'do Bronx' wasn't himself and wasn't "alright" in the first fight against Makhachev.
Furthermore, Diego Lima indicated that they're unlikely to change their strategy for the Islam Makhachev rematch, adding that Charles Oliveira simply didn't implement the strategy in the first fight. He believes that Oliveira must stick to their strategy and would surely knock his Dagestani foe out.
He acknowledged that Islam Makhachev is a "bada**" but reiterated that Oliveira wasn't at his best in their first fight, which is why he was beaten. Predicting a victory for his student in the rematch, Lima said:
"I don't think it's cool when someone loses and starts giving excuses. It wasn't Charles' day, it was Makhachev's day. Congratulations to him. Nothing we had planned for him was done and it wasn't because Makhachev was one step ahead, it just didn't happen. We'll train and go there to win."