Charles Oliveira says Islam Makhachev’s arrogance will be his downfall.
Charles Oliveira has sent a stern warning to Islam Makhachev ahead of their highly anticipated lightweight title fight at UFC 280.
Oliveira feels he is being overlooked by Makhachev and his team and says the latter’s ‘arrogance’ will be his downfall on Oct 22.
The Brazilian put Makhachev and his manager, Ali Abdelaziz, on blast during a recent interview with MMA Hoje.
“There’s one thing I need to tell you. I want to tell you,” Oliveira told MMA Hoje in a recent interview. “They’re being arrogant, and that’s what will kill them. The arrogance from their manager, from former fighters will kill them. No one will ever hit me harder than life already hit me. I’m a guy that escaped a heart-blowing condition. Rheumatism on my bones that even the doctor said I would never fight again. I’m coming to your house, my friend, to fight you. To make history and keep my legacy going as the UFC lightweight champion. You’re talking a lot of sh-t. Like I’ve always respected all of you. But you better pay attention, so don’t cry about it later. That’s all I have to say.”
@CharlesDoBronxs real talk. He’s going to silence everybody on October 22nd. pic.twitter.com/v0IhmlSb7J
— Burpy (@burpymma) August 5, 2022
Abdelaziz, who manages Makhachev and several other high-profile fighters at Dominance MMA, responded on Twitter. The Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt said neither he nor Makhachev holds any ill-will towards Oliveira and that they look forward to a ‘great fight’ in Abu Dhabi.
@CharlesDoBronxs I just heard you said we are arrogant we know you’re a great champion and the great human being we know you’re very tough this is not personal October 22 Is it going to be a great fight and we will see who is the champion Big respect for you and your team
— Ali Abdelaziz (@AliAbdelaziz00) August 5, 2022
“I just heard you said we are arrogant we know you’re a great champion and the great human being we know you’re very tough this is not personal October 22 Is it going to be a great fight and we will see who is the champion Big respect for you and your team,” Abdelaziz replied.
Oliveira is on an eleven-fight winning streak, with standout victories over Michael Chandler, Dustin Poirier, and Justin Gaethje. He holds the record for the most submissions (16) and most finishes (19) in the UFC and is considered by many to be one, if not the, greatest lightweight fighters in the promotion.
Makhachev is on a ten-fight win streak but hasn’t fought the same level of competition Oliveira has. The Dagestani trains under UFC lightweight G.O.A.T. Khabib Nurmagomedov and boasts some of the finest Sambo in the sport. He last fought at UFC Fight Night 202, where he TKO’d Bobby Green in the first round.
UFC 280: Oliveira vs. Makhachev is scheduled to take place on October 22 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.