Former UFC light-weight champion Charles Oliveira may have many choices with a win in his upcoming return at UFC 309.
Oliveira will face former rival Michael Chandler within the UFC 309 co-main occasion on November sixteenth in New York Metropolis. He returns to the Octagon after a cut up resolution loss to Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 300.
Oliveira stays one of many UFC’s greatest stars after a memorable earlier reign because the UFC light-weight champion. He’s seeking to regain the throne after the loss to Tsarukyan and withdraw from a rematch with Islam Makhachev.
Oliveira has had McGregor in his sights for 3 years, stemming from McGregor’s 2021 return fights towards Dustin Poirier. McGregor snapped his leg towards Poirier at UFC 264, all however axing a possible ‘pink panty evening’ for Oliveira.
However, as McGregor targets his UFC return for 2025, Oliveira stays within the combine for his return opponent. A win over Chandler at UFC 309 might doubtlessly steal the McGregor battle from Chandler.
Oliveira stays transfixed on one other light-weight title shot. If the UFC presents him each choices after UFC 309, he desires to have a assured title shot with a win over McGregor.
Charles Oliveira centered on title, not Conor McGregor
In a current interview with MMA Preventing, Oliveira picked the title over a McGregor battle.
“Am I subsequent in line if I beat McGregor? If that’s the plan, then I’m 100% in. However if you happen to say, ‘No, it’s a must to select one of many two,’ I’m undoubtedly going for the title,” Oliveira mentioned. “If I’ve the chance to battle Conor and we make some huge cash, as a result of he sells rather a lot and so do I — and we might undoubtedly forehead the roofs off with this pay-per-view —, to not point out the cash off the purse, and I’m nonetheless subsequent for the belt, I’d undoubtedly do it. Why not?
“(My managers Diego Lima and Jorge Patino) know what my plan is. I would like the fights that take me to the belt,” Oliveira continued. “I’ve been posting rather a lot as of late, ‘Ready for the boss to name,’ and the UFC undoubtedly sees that. Diego and ‘Macaco’ got here with the Chandler battle, and I’m undoubtedly a lot nearer to the title with a win over Chandler. I’ll simply keep centered now. Chandler is tremendous powerful and deserves all of the respect. He is aware of how a lot I respect and look after him, so it’s undoubtedly going to be an incredible battle.” (h/t MMANews)
Oliveira stays centered on Chandler, however McGregor’s shadow undoubtedly will probably be forged over the upcoming matchup. A win over Chandler might be sufficient for Oliveira to clinch a McGregor reserving.
