Charles Oliveira has had enough of Khabib Nurmagomedov’s trash talk.
Forget Conor McGregor. Charles Oliveira wants to fight Islam Makhachev in Brazil. And after that, he’s coming for Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Oliveira has had just about enough of Khabib running his mouth from the sidelines and has vowed to drag the undefeated Dagestani out of retirement after he beats the latter’s teammate on home soil.
‘Do Bronx’ has finally agreed to fight Makhachev for the vacant UFC lightweight championship after the Brazilian was previously stripped of the belt after missing weight ahead of his submission victory over Justin Gaethje in May.
He hopes to fight the No. 4-ranked lightweight in December/January, per a recent interview with Ag.Fight.
“If they really want it, they need to chase the champion,” Oliveira told Ag. Fight in a recent interview (h/t MMA Fighting). “I chased the champion, right?! Then I became the champion. I want to fight in December. Do you really want this?! So let’s do something cool. Now I’m talking to you. Let’s fight in January in Brazil? Isn’t that what you really want? So sell it more. But look at this, Khabib, you’ve already tried three premonitions about me and missed all three.
“Look, I won’t say I’m going to submit or knock him out, but I’ll beat him. Listen to this, I will beat Islam Makhachev. The division’s problem is called Charles Oliveira. That’s the division’s problem. It doesn’t matter what they say. If they really want it, I want it, too. Look, forget about Conor McGregor now, forget it. In Brazil, Charles Oliveira against Islam Makhachev. Is this the fight you want? So we will have it. Charles Oliveira against Islam Makhachev in Brazil.”
As for Nurmagomedov, Oliveira still respects the former UFC lightweight champion but doesn’t understand why he has been talking so much trash about him in the media. That’s why the Brazilian wants to fight Nurmagomedov after he disposes of Makhachev later this year, hopefully becoming the first man to defeat ‘The Eagle’ in MMA.
“I’ll beat him (Makhachev). So who knows, maybe you come of retirement and come too?!” Oliveira said of Khabib, who retired undefeated in 2020. “Each one says what they want. I am the division’s problem. I have one of the best jiu-jitsu [games] in the division and in the UFC. I think these guys are talking too much. They want to get in my mind, but that’s not possible.
“The guy was champion, 29 wins in a row, and never said anything. He always sold the fight in a good way, really damn well and today he is always talking a lot. If it’s to talk, I’m gonna say it. I’ll beat Islam Makhachev and then challenge Khabib to come back from retirement. It’s the fight everyone will want to see. Isn’t that what everyone will want to see? Everyone says Khabib is f****** tough. I respect him a lot, but lately, he’s been talking too much.”
Oliveira is currently #1 in the UFC lightweight rankings and #4 in the UFC men’s pound-for-pound rankings. He holds multiple records including the most submission wins (16) and most finishes (19) in UFC history and is currently on an eleven-fight winning streak.