Former undisputed lightweight champion, Charles Oliveira has confirmed he has floated the offer to serve as the backup fighter to June’s headlining bout at UFC 303, between ex-two-weight champion, Conor McGregor, and prior foe, Michael Chandler.
Oliveira, the current number two ranked lightweight contender and a former undisputed champion in the division, most recently featured on the main card of UFC 300 last month.
Suffering a close, controversial split decision defeat, Oliveira found himself on the wrong side of two of three judge’s scorecards in a judging loss to the surging Armenian force, Arman Tsarukyan in an officially billed title-eliminator.
Charles Oliveira plans to serve as backup fighter at UFC 303
And welcoming a chance to fight as soon as July or even August in a projected summer comeback to the Octagon, Oliveira also revealed he would entertain a “big fight” at the welterweight limit – a first during his storied tenure in the organization.
Receiving a call out today from Polish contender, Matesuz Gamrot – which has already been rebuffed, Oliveira informed Full Send MMA this evening that he has offered to serve as the backup fighter to the UFC 303 main event fight during International Fight Week between McGregor and Chandler.
O @CharlesDoBronxs não pareceu empolgado com o desafio do Gamrot
pic.twitter.com/ucFzklexRP
— Ag. Fight (@AgFight) May 2, 2024
“Charles Oliveira says he has offered to be the backup for Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler but if he ends up facing Conor McGregor he definitely wants to negotiate for more money,” Full Send MMA posted on their official Instagram account.
Calling for a fight with McGregor following his loss to Tsarukyan last month, Sao Paulo finishing ace, Oliveira turned in a stunning second round KO win over the above-mentioned, Chandler back in 2021 to win the vacant lightweight championship.
Oliveira would go on to defeat both former interim champions, Dustin Poirier, and Justin Gaethje in championship fights.
Would you like to see Charles Oliveira serve as the backup to UFC 303’s headliner?