In new previously unseen footage, former undisputed lightweight champion, Charles Oliveira saw the chance to rematch Islam Makhachev for divisional gold whisked away due to injury, with the promotion hoping to fill a Jon Jones-shaped void last November in the main event of UFC 295 in Madison Square Garden.
Oliveira, the current number two ranked lightweight contender, most recently featured at UFC 300 back in April, suffering a controversial split decision defeat to streaking number one contender, Arman Tsarukyan in the pair’s championship eliminator.
Ruled from a return back in October of last year in Abu Dhabi, Oliveira was set to headline UFC 294 in a rematch with pound-for-pound number one, Makhachev, until a nasty laceration over his right eyebrow ruled the Sao Paulo native from the re-run.
Drafting in former featherweight champion, Alexander Volkanovski on short-notice, Oliveira’s dismissal from UFC 294 was delved into as part of the new Fight Inc. Inside the UFC series – with matchmaker, Sean Shelby claiming Oliveira’s withdrawal cost him a $2,000,000 payday.
“How about this – how about if they [Charles Oliveira’s team] call us and let us f*cking fix it and tell them what to do,” Dana White said. “Yeah, that’s f*cking – that is a nasty – what were they doing? Wrestling?”
Dana White was NOT happy when he found out about Charles Oliveira’s cut that forced him to pull out of the Islam Makhachev fight
“He’s going the night before, sparring with no f***ing headgear.”#UFC #MMA
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) June 8, 2024
“Sparring with no headgear, the week before he (Charles Oliveira) leaves for the fight [with Islam Makhachev] – no, the day, he’s supposed to leave [for Abu Dhabi] today,” Dana White continued. “The night before. He’s going [training] the night before, sparring with no f*cking headgear. That cost them big money.”
Charles Oliveira forced to turn down Islam Makhachev rematch at MSG
Furthermore, with the above-mentioned heavyweight champion, Jones ruled from his own UFC 295 return after suffering a pectoral tendon tear, Oliveira was offered a glimpse at a rematch with Makhachev in New York – ultimately to no avail.
“The other thing I could look at, is I could see if Islam (Makhachev) and (Charles) Oliveira wanna go [fight at UFC 295],” UFC Chief Business Officer, Hunter Campbell told CEO, Dana White. “Islam took no f*cking damage – I don’t think he took a single strike. And his (Charles Oliveira’s) cut will be ready by then, too. I think I can pull that off, to be honest with you. You like that? You love that?”
“This is you and Islam,” Campbell told Oliveira. “This would be for the title. I was just trying to rack my brain to see what the hell we could do. Oliveira cannot do it, ‘cause the cut still has not healed and he’s not training. And according to the doctors, he’s still ‘No Contact’ for 10 more days. The cut was so f*cking deep, he has two layers of stitches, interior. They’re like ‘There’s no way, I can’t even train.’
Would you like to see Charles Oliveira fight Islam Makhachev in the future again?