Insane Charles Oliveira stat could put the likes of Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev to shame
Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev are two of the greatest lightweights of all time. But, Charles Oliveira may put them to shame with an incredible stat that has recently surfaced. While the greatest of all-time talks will never be completely unanimous, specific statistics aid some fighters' claims of the GOAT status.
'The Eagle' is regarded by many to be the best 155er to ever compete in the sport and his undefeated record only adds fuel to those opinions. Throughout his 13-fight career with the UFC, the Russian lost just two rounds and could be considered one of the most dominant athletes to step foot into the octagon.
As revealed in a recent post on social media, Charles Oliveira has the same amount of submissions under the UFC banner as the last three lightweight champions combined.
Not only is this stat impressive in general, but it also stands out much more when you realize who the last three champions were in the weight class.
Khabib Nurmagomedov has five submission victories whilst competing in the UFC, with those wins coming against some high-level talent. Alongside his subs over Michael Johnson and Conor McGregor, the star also finished Justin Gaethje and Dustin Poirier. Though Charles Oliveira arguably stopped the Gaethje and Poirier in a better fashion.
Islam Makhachev has six submission wins during his time in the octagon, including one over 'Do Bronx' to capture the lightweight throne back in October last year.
Despite being known primarily for his striking, Poirier himself has collected five submission victories inside the UFC cage. While their achievements combined add up to a staggering 16, that is enough to match Oliveira's record inside the octagon.
Will we ever see Charles Oliveira vs. Islam Makhachev 2?
In one of the most anticipated fights of 2022, Charles Oliveira and Islam Makhachev competed for the then-vacant lightweight championship, which saw the Russian walk away with his hands raised.
As no clear contender has emerged in the division, there is every possibility that the South American has a great performance against Beneil Dariush and earns himself another shot at the title.
While Makhachev lays in wait for his next challenger, there are a lot of potential viable opponents for him next. Although nobody has laid claim to a number-one contender shot, each of Dustin Poirier, Justin Gaethje, Conor McGregor, Michael Chandler, Charles Oliveira, and Beneil Dariush can all earn a chance with a win in their upcoming bouts.