Lightweight Charles Oliveira expects higher-ranked competition should he score another win at UFC Fortaleza.
Submission specialist Charles Oliveira would welcome a better challenge should he defeat rising prospect David Teymur at UFC Fortaleza. Currently on a three-fight winning streak, the Brazilian told Combate he would never turn down a fight, but thinks he has done enough to warrant a top-5 challenge next.
With submission wins over Clay Guida, Christos Giagos and Jim Miller in his last three appearances, Oliveira wants to get closer to a title shot and not keep on fighting unranked opponents.
“I just want Dana White to give me an opportunity to fight guys who are closer to the title. I deserve a top-5 name,” Oliveira said. “There’s a lot of people wanting, asking to fight me, but they’re not even ranked. I never turned down a fight, but if I could choose, I’d like someone in the top-5.”
Undefeated in the Octagon, David Teymur is on a five-fight winning streak and has yet to be submitted in his nine-fight career. For Oliveira, however, the numbers matter too little since he believes he will score yet another win on Saturday night.
“He’s a promising guy, he keeps on winning,” Oliveira said. “People say he’s really tough, but I’ve fought tough guys before. I’m more concerned about what I’ll bring to him, a happy Charles, who walks forward. Of course we know he has good takedown defense, he has great stand-up, but I have great jiu-jitsu and I’ve been improving my striking, I’m as well-rounded as ever. We keep on training, I focused on my striking, my jiu-jitsu, my conditioning and all of that is making a big difference. Make no mistake, you’ll Charles do Bronx score another win on February 2.”
Charles Oliveira will take on David Teymur on the main card of UFC Fight Night 144, in Fortaleza, Brazil, on February 2. The ESPN+ event will be headlined by a bantamweight bout between contenders Raphael Assuncao and Marlon Moraes.