"I'll be taking that place sometime soon" - Claudio Puelles says he will replace Charles Oliveira as the best grappler in the lightweight division

Claudio Puelles wants to surpass Charles Oliveira's records [Photo credit: UFC.com, @ufc on Instagram]

Claudio Puelles is confident he'll surpass Charles Oliveira as the greatest grappler in the UFC lightweight division "sometime soon."

Oliveira, the UFC lightweight champion, is the most prolific finisher in UFC history with 18 stoppages under his belt. Out of those 18 wins, 15 have come by way of submission, making him stand out as the best grappler on the promotion's roster.

This kneebar happened at lightning speed⚡️ #UFCVegas52 https://t.co/uOyESkuNnr

Puelles, meanwhile, earned his third submission victory via kneebar against veteran Clay Guida. Oozing with optimism for the strength of his own ground game, the up-and-comer declared that he's coming for Oliveira's crown.

During an interview with James Lynch for Sportskeeda MMA, the Peruvian proclaimed:

"Charles is very good. He's probably the best. He's maybe the best grappler in the division now. He's the champ, he's probably the best right now, but I'll be taking that place sometime soon. But for now, I think he's the best. He's the champ for a reason [and] I respect that."

Check out our exclusive interview with Claudio Puelles below:

However, Puelles has a long distance to go if he hopes to eclipse Oliveira's existing record. He currently has three wins by submission in the UFC and seven submissions overall.

Oliveira, on the other hand, has tapped out some of the best fighters on the ground. He owns submission wins over the likes of Dustin Poirier, Kevin Lee, and Jim Miller throughout his 12-year UFC stint. Not to mention that he's the sitting 155-pound champion and could take his record to new heights.

"Who does that at 23?" - Claudio Puelles explains his admiration for Jon Jones

Claudio Puelles revealed that Jon Jones is his favorite fighter of all time during an interview with MMA reporter Alex Behunin.

Humanizing Athletes: Claudio Puelles

Claudio lists some of his favorite things ahead of his fight this weekend at #UFCVegas44 https://t.co/hmYdK3PwvL

With that in mind, James Lynch asked the 26-year-old where he ranks 'Bones' among the all-time greats of the sport. He replied:

"Jon is No.1 for me. ... Yeah, Jon is No.1. He never got beat. I mean, come on, that Matt Hamill thing [doesn't count]. He was in a very, very tough division at a very young age. Who does that at 23? When I was coming up, when I was a young kid, I thought I was going to be champ at that age too. When I was at that age, I was like, 'There's no way I'm gonna be champ right now.'"

Currently on a five-fight winning streak, 'El Nino' will hope to extend this run as he proceeds to climb up the ladder. Considering the fierce competition in the lightweight division, the Peruvian has a tall task ahead of him.