Expected to remain sidelined until the start of summer at the very earliest, undisputed lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev has been accused of avoiding a rematch with Charles Oliveira in his UFC return, according to the Brazilian’s coach.
Makhachev, the current undisputed lightweight titleholder and the current pound-for-pound number one ranked fighter on the promotion’s books, is expected to remain sidelined from the Octagon through an unspecified injury.
Eyeing a return in June at the very earliest, Makhachev has called for a title fight with newly-crowned symbolic BMF champion, Justin Gaethje, before suggesting a November return against either Oliveira, or former opponent, Arman Tsarukyan.
June 8 UFC PPV vs Gaetje, November UFC MSG vs Olivera/Arman, February 2025 vs Anybody Inshallah
pic.twitter.com/yp0LKfj3Pw
— Makhachev Islam (@MAKHACHEVMMA) January 10, 2024
Charles Oliveira unsuccessfully chasing Islam Makhachev rematch
Slated to make his comeback in an officially-billed title eliminator against Tsarukyan at UFC 300 in April, Oliveira, who has been sidelined since last June, is chasing a rematch with Islam Makhachev to no avail, according to his coach.
“Honestly, I don’t think none of that will happen,” Diego Lima told MMA Fighting. “I think the winner of this fight will fight (Islam) Makhachev. There’s nothing else. There’s nowhere to run. I really believe that’s the fight. If you look at (Justin) Gaethje’s last six fights, if you look at (Dustin) Poirier’s last six fights, if you look at (Beneil) Dariush’s, there’s no one else for him to fight.”
“It’s Charles, it my opinion,” Lima continued. “It’s clear that he (Makhachev) doesn’t want to fight Charles. Not taking anything away from him, it wasn’t Charles that night. We won’t take anything away from him, but everybody saw it. It wasn’t Charles’ night. It was Makhachev’s night, and if they fight again, I’m sure it will be a whole other fight.”
Fighting at UFC 280 back in October 2022, Makhachev snapped the division-best winning run spanning 11 consecutive fights for Oliveira with a stunning second round arm-triangle submission win in the pair’s vacant title fight.
Who wins in a future title rematch: Islam Makhachev or Charles Oliveira?