"That guy is legitimate" - Conor McGregor's coach praises Charles Oliveira, hopes the Irishman will 'meet him down the road'

Conor McGregor (left), John Kavanagh (center) & Charles Oliveira (right) [Image Credits @coach_kavanagh on Instagram]

As Charles Oliveira solidified his position atop the UFC lightweight food chain, John Cavanagh has asserted that the Brazilian is a legitimate threat and a champion through and through.

What's more, as Conor McGregor inches closer to his return to the octagon, John Kavanagh subtly planted the seeds for a potential fight with Charles Oliveira somewhere down the line.

In a recent interview with MMA Junkie's Danny Segura, John Kavanagh offered fans his perspective on Charles Oliveira. He was quick to acknowledge 'Do Bronx's recent record while marveling at his consistency and his ability to record finishes.

"What is he? Ten wins in a row, most of them being finishes. His stand-up is getting sharp now. He's got wrestling. He knocks out Chandler. If anybody's there with Charles at this stage, they got to check themselves. That guy is legitimate, he's the world champion, he's a great fighter. And who knows, maybe we meet him down the road," said John Kavanagh.

Catch the entire segment with John Kavanagh and Danny Segura right here:

Can Conor McGregor bag a fight against Charles Oliveira?

Regardless of all the talk between Conor McGregor and Charles Oliveira, realistically, a fight between the two is most certainly a distant dream at this point.

The fact that the likes of Justin Gaethje, Beneil Dariush and Islam Makhachev are in line for a crack at divisional gold suggests that the Irishman might be in for a long wait.

Nothing but respect between @Justin_Gaethje and @CharlesDoBronxs. 👏

We’ll be counting down the days till these two throw down! #UFC269 https://t.co/fCzgOhOnMc

What's more, the kind of weight and muscle mass that the Irishman has gained will take a significant amount of time to shed, making his return to lightweight all the more complicated.

Should Charles Oliveira part ways with the UFC lightweight title in the coming months, a fight between 'Do Bronx' and 'The Notorious' one may lose all its appeal.

Having outshone Dustin Poirier, Charles Oliveira is most likely hurtling towards a clash against Justin Gaethje at this point. Gaethje happens to boast of a significant number of accolades in wrestling.

Therefore, overpowering 'The Highlight' on the ground, like Oliveira did Poirier, may not be that easy. All said and done, Charles Oliveira is looking at a tough couple of months as the champion.