Despite registering a one-sided first round submission win over Justin Gaethje just last year, former lightweight champion, Charles Oliveira has been told to rematch the former in order to earn another title fight, by former foe, Islam Makhachev.
Oliveira, the current number one ranked lightweight contender, was scheduled to headline UFC 294 this weekend in Abu Dhabi, UAE, in a title fight rematch with the above-mentioned, Makhachev.
However, just 10 days’ out from fight night, the Sao Paulo finisher was forced to withdraw from the pairing with Makhachev after he suffered a nasty laceration above his right eyebrow, resulting in the insertion of Alexander Volkanovski into the bout on short-notice.
And despite returning to the winner’s enclosure with a June knockout win over Beneil Dariush after his title fight defeat to Makhachev last October, Charles Oliveira has been ruled from a fight with the incumbent again by his manager, Ali Abdelaziz.
Charles Oliveira urged to fight Justin Gaethje again after his UFC 294 no-show
Furthermore, American Kickboxing Academy staple, Makhachev claims both Oliveira and Gaethje should battle once more to determine his next challenger, as he eyes a stint at the welterweight limit after UFC 294.
“You know, honestly I feel, I’m gonna beat (Alexander) Volkanovski now, and I have two opponents [waiting for me after UFC 294],” Islam Makhachev told assembled media during his availability. “(Justin) Gaethje and (Charles) Oliveira. I think they have to fight again, and who is win, I just beat this guy, again.”
Islam Makhachev is eyeing welterweight gold after #UFC294 and thinks Justin Gaethje should rematch Charles Oliveira in the meantime.
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— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) October 18, 2023
Fighting newly-minted BMF champion, Gaethje back in May on hostile grounds in Phoenix, Arizona, Oliveira, who had been stripped of his lightweight title due to a weight miss prior to the bout, submitted former interim champion, Gaethje with a dominant opening round rear-naked choke in ‘The Copper State’.
Would you like to see Justin Gaethje and Charles Oliveira face-off again?