Charles Oliveira shuts down Conor McGregor fight talks: "This fight’s not gonna happen"
Charles Oliveira claimed a potential fight with Conor McGregor might not happen.
At UFC 309, Oliveira re-asserted himself in the lightweight title picture with a unanimous decision win against Michael Chandler. The Brazilian superstar's performance on Friday night was much-needed following a split-decision defeat against Arman Tsarukyan earlier this year.
Following his latest win, Oliveira participated in a UFC 309 post-fight press conference. Once again, 'Do Bronx' discussed a potential matchup with McGregor, something both fighters have shown interest in during the last few years.
Oliveira had this to say about the hypothetical fight against McGregor:
"This is the guy that runs away the most in the UFC. This fight is not going to happen. Would it make sense? Yes. Would it be a good fight? Yes. Would people love it? Yes. We both sell fights well, but he chooses his opponents. This fight is not happening."
In October 2022, Charles Oliveira suffered a second-round submission loss against Islam Makhachev for the vacant UFC lightweight championship. Oliveira now looks to potentially secure a rematch with Makhachev, but he might need one more win against a top contender in the 155-pound division.
In the meantime, Makhachev is rumored to be defending his throne in a rematch against Arman Tsarukyan in early 2025. Makhachev holds a unanimous decision win against Tsarukyan when they first fought as rising contenders in April 2019.
Watch Oliveira shut down the possibility of a fight with McGregor below:
What's next for Charles Oliveira and Conor McGregor in the UFC?
Charles Oliveira is potentially one more win away from receiving another UFC lightweight title shot. Potential opponents for Oliveira would be mostly speculation, but rematches against Justin Gaethje or Dustin Poirier are possible considering their star power.
Meanwhile, Max Holloway is ranked number five in the lightweight division, which he plans to fight at. Therefore, a rematch between Holloway and Oliveira would make sense, as the former emerged victorious with a first-round TKO in 2015 due to Oliveira suffering an injury.
As for Conor McGregor, he was supposed to end a three-year layoff earlier this year before suffering a broken toe. The former two-division UFC champion's highly anticipated return was pushed back to 2025, with Michael Chandler arguably a potential opponent despite their controversial past.