Charles Oliveira expects Islam Makhachev to stay UFC light-weight champion in opposition to Dustin Poirier — and, doubtlessly, Arman Tsarukyan.
Makhachev is slated to face Poirier in the principle occasion of UFC 302 on Saturday, and Oliveira doesn’t favor “The Diamond” in a five-round conflict. Poirier has solely misplaced 4 instances since transferring as much as light-weight in 2015, three of these being championship bouts in opposition to Khabib Nurmagomedov, Justin Gaethje (for the BMF title), and Oliveira.
“Each striker that faces Islam goes to be the identical factor, [Makhachev] will take you down and have larger probabilities at successful,” Oliveira advised MMA Preventing. “However we’re speaking about MMA, and one hand, one strike that lands can positively get you the victory.
“Dustin Poirier has proven that in his final combat, he’s proven that many instances already. He has heavy fingers and hits onerous, so he positively can knock him out, however I believe Islam stays as champion.”
Oliveira, who holds a submission win over Poirier again when he was the 155-pound champion and is coming off of a detailed break up choice loss to Tsarukyan at UFC 300, doesn’t see Tsarukyan as a giant menace to Makhachev “as a result of Islam is evolving on the toes and is harmful on the bottom with submissions.”
“Arman is a man that takes you down and holds you there your complete time,” Oliveira stated. “No method. It’s not a combat he can win.”
“After all, I’ve simply stated this and I can’t backtrack, we’re speaking about MMA and it’s very unpredictable,” he continued. “A man closes his eyes and throws a hand that lands, you’re knocked out. He throws a kick that lands, you shoot for a takedown and find yourself in a submission. MMA is unpredictable, however I believe Islam is far more skilled, has extra focus, extra starvation, and is far stronger than Arman.”
