UFC lightweight contender Islam Makhachev is waiting to wait as long as it takes for the next lightweight title shot in Abu Dhabi and not as a backup.
Makhachev has now won 10 in a row, with the latest coming against short-notice replacement Bobby Green at UFC Vegas 49 last weekend. It didn’t take long for Makhachev to get a feel for Green’s gameplan and to finish the fight on the ground.
Makhachev has emerged as arguably the top lightweight contender who could face the winner of Charles Oliveira vs. Justin Gaethje. Oliveira and Gaethje are slated to meet in the main event of UFC 274 on May 7.
One element of conversation has been who could serve as the backup for the UFC 274 main event. During his UFC Vegas 49 post-fight press conference, Makhachev appeared to downplay the idea of serving as the backup and weighing in.
“For step-in, we have some guys like dos Anjos or Michael Chandler,” Makhachev said. “But (I deserve the title shot). I have 10-fight streak. And last 11 months, I’m training so hard. Like next week, I’m ready for fight, like, next pay-per-view show. But I want to fight in Abu Dhabi because I have (many friends) who stay outside because they cannot come (to the UFC APEX). I want to fight for the title in Abu Dhabi. All my friends can come and support me inside.”
Makhachev has long called for the title shot but wants to be slated as the certain challenger and not utilized as a backup plan. He’s looking to continue the legacy of his mentor, Khabib Nurmagomedov, and reclaim the lightweight throne for Dagestan.
What is your prediction for Charles Oliveira vs. Justin Gaethje? How do you think Islam Makhachev would fare against both fighters?
Islam Makhachev believes his wrestling skills outmatch the lightweight champion’s, which makes it a good, yet easy fight for him.
The #4 lightweight contender faces off against Bobby Green in a catchweight bout this Saturday, February 26. Green is Beniel Dariush’s replacement, as Dariush suffered an injury a week before the match.
Makhachev and Green head into their battle with back-to-back impressive wins. Fans anticipate what both fighters will bring to the cage at UFC Fight Night 202.
Islam Makhachev and Bobby Green, Photo Credit: UFC/Twitter
But that comes as no surprise. Being the wrestling sensation that Makhachev is, he puts his wrestling skills well above many fighters.
In his last nine straight wins, he racked up four different submissions. Last year alone, he won all of his fights by submission, which includes a kimura to take out Dan Hooker in the first round.
Though Makhachev credits “Do Bronx” for his striking and grappling, his success leads him to believe he can put Charles Oliveira down with ease in an eventual matchup.
“It’s gonna be good fight because we almost have same style,” Makhachev said during a UFC Vegas 49 media scrum. He have good grappling skills, he have good striking, and it’s gonna be good fight. And I don’t think it’s gonna be hard for me. I can take him out, take him down easy because I know he don’t have good wrestling skills. But his grappling skills—high level. And we will see who’s better there,” said Makhachev in a pre-fight interview.
Currently, Oliveira has the most submission wins and finishes in UFC history and has 20 submissions in his entire MMA career. As of now, Makhachev has 10.
By the time these two amazing grapplers reach each other those numbers can certainly change.
Oliveira has an upcoming title defense against Justin Gaethje in May. And before that, Makhachev fights for his chance to increase his win streak to ten straight wins.
Both fights will determine if Makhachev and Oliveira will test their skills against one another in the near future.
How do you think Islam Makhachev matches up against Charles Oliveira?
UFC lightweight Islam Makhachev has offered a specific prediction for the Charles Oliveira vs. Justin Gaethje title fight expected for UFC 274.
Makhachev may well be next in line to fight for the title after Gaethje with a win this weekend. The Russian was scheduled to have been facing Beneil Dariush in a supposed title eliminator, but Dariush was forced to withdraw with an injury last week.
Instead, Makhachev will face UFC veteran Bobby Green, who has stepped in as a late replacement. Yet, the 30-year-old will still be expecting a title shot with a win. Most questions towards Makhachev have turned from his main event this weekend to instead who he could be expecting to face for the title in the near future, Oliveira or Gaethje?
Makhachev: I Think Oliveira Will Submit Gaethje
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At the media day for UFC Vegas 49, Makhachev says he is expecting to face Oliveira in his next fight past this weekend. When asked for his prediction on how the Brazilian defends his title, the Russian went into specifics.
“I think he’s gonna finish him. I think he gonna striking with him first round. And after, he gonna take him down. I think he’s gonna choke him,” said Makhachev.
It appears that the #4-ranked lightweight is envisioning a path to victory similar to that of Oliveira’s last title defense against Dustin Poirier. Although, it is best believed Gaethje will have some choice words for Makhachev’s prediction once he is informed of the contender’s answer.
Gaethje fell short to a submission loss the last time he fought for the title when he took on the undefeated Khabib Nurmagomedov. Khabib coaches and mentors Makhachev, so that may well have influenced his prediction.
Do you agree with Islam Makhachev and see Charles Oliveira submitting Justin Gaethje?
Former UFC interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier has cleared the air regarding the donation issue with Charles Oliveira following UFC 269.
Just minutes after getting submitted by Oliveira for the lightweight title, Poirier and Oliveira embraced and Poirier promised to donate $20,000 to a charity of Oliveira’s choice.
But a few weeks after the initial donation promise, Oliveira revealed that he hadn’t received it and some began to question whether or not Poirier’s promise was legitimate.
“So, I ended up getting in touch with Charles and his team,” Poirier said. “We had some back and forth, talking about where the money was gonna go. Right after the fight, he had sent me his personal banking information. I was like, ‘I have a non-profit, I can’t directly deposit $20,000 from my non-profit into your bank account.’ I’m sure the translation, he was probably using a translator to text me back, that’s how we were speaking, on WhatsApp. All the stuff probably got mixed up, maybe, when I asked him about where the money would go and he sent his personal info.
“Now we got it resolved. So he’s looking for a charity and we’re also speaking to the UFC, the Brazilian department of the UFC, and we’re working with them. So $20,000’s going to somewhere.”
Poirier’s defeat to Oliveira was his second shot at the lightweight title after losing to Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 242. He would go on to earn back-to-back wins over Conor McGregor along with a unanimous decision win over Dan Hooker.
Poirier has hinted at a potential move to welterweight to face his adversary Nate Diaz. Formal negotiations haven’t materialized regarding a fight but both sides have expressed a profound interest in the matchup.
As for Oliveira, he will defend his lightweight title against Justin Gaethje later this year at UFC 274. It appears that any potential tension between him and Poirier regarding the promised donation to charity has diminished.
Former interim UFC lightweight champion Dustin Poirier has given his thoughts on the upcoming title fight between reigning 155-pound king Charles Oliveira and challenger Justin Gaethje.
In a year full of memorable crownings, including Glover Teixeira at light heavyweight and Brandon Moreno at flyweight, it was perhaps the triumph of Oliveira that represented the greatest resurgence. From 10-8-1 in his first 19 Octagon outings, “Do Bronx” has built a 10-fight win streak, culminating in championship glory and a successful defense.
At UFC 274, Gaethje, who previously failed to reach the undisputed mountaintop against Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2019, will have his second chance to mount the throne. “The Highlight” secured the shot with victory in a FOTY-worthy clash against Chandler last November.
Poirier: “It’s An Interesting Fight”
Having defeated Gaethje in 2018 and gone 11 minutes with Oliveira just two months ago, Poirier is in a unique position to analyze and predict this year’s first lightweight title clash.
During an interview with Robby Clark for InsideFighting, “The Diamond” discussed the may pay-per-view showdown. He suggested that while Gaethje has the power and striking prowess to finish anyone, that will be his sole way to leave the Octagon with the belt on May 7.
In comparison, Poirier believes Oliveira has multiple ways to emerge victorious and defend his title for a second time.
“You know, Charles has more ways to wins. Justin has to knock him out. I think Charles can knock Justin out, Charles can submit him, Charles can win a decision; he has more ways to win,” said Poirier. That’s not saying that Gaethje won’t knock him out.
“Charles is a guy who gets hit a lot. In his last two fights, he’s touched the canvas in both fights,” added Poirier. “And Gaethje’s a guy that if he gets you hurt, he usually puts you away, and he has big power. So, if you’re able to get touched, you might not recover. It’s an interesting fight. But Charles has more ways to win.”
OLIVEIRA VS. GAETHJE IS ON, per UFC president Dana White. Championship fight will take place May 7, location TBD. What a fight. And Still? And New? pic.twitter.com/MJv2mMaqtK
In his last two outings, Oliveira has recovered from knockdowns to find a finish. Whether or not he can do that against an instinctive killer like “The Highlight” remains to be seen.
Charles Oliveira’s next lightweight title defense is set, as the Brazilian is set to take on Justin Gaethje at UFC 274 on May 7.
ESPN’s Brett Okamoto was the first to report Oliveira and Gaethje’s upcoming clash. This fight will be joining Glover Teixeira and Jiří Procházka’s light heavyweight title bout slated for the same card. There is currently no word on which fight will serve as the main event. According to the ESPN report, this card is expected to take place in the United States after originally being targeted for Brazil.
Justin Gaethje was adamant about his place as the #1 contender after defeating Michael Chandler in a Fight of the Year candidate at UFC 268. Dana White agreed with Gaethje’s self-assessment and has now put the idea into action by making the fight plans public.
Image Credit: Zuffa LLC
Earlier this week, Gaethje put MMA journalists on blast for even suggesting Conor McGregor could skip the title-shot queue and receive a title shot upon return. Should Gaethje defeat Oliveira at UFC 274, he will put himself into a powerful enough position to hold the highest cards of the lightweight title picture.
This will be Gaethje’s second opportunity at becoming lightweight champion after coming up short against then-champion Khabib Nurmagomedov in October 2020.
This bout will mark Charles Oliveira’s second lightweight title defense. Last month, he defeated Dustin Poirier at UFC 269 via third-round submission to cement himself as the king of the 155 division.
Oliveira has not lost a bout since a 2017 defeat to Paul Felder. Since then, he has turned an incredible 10-fight winning streak, with an astonishing 9 of those 10 wins being by way of finish. Come May 7, Oliveira will look to add Justin Gaethje to his highlight reel.
With the addition of this title bout, the updated UFC 274 card is as follows:
The UFC’s final pay-per-view event of 2021, UFC 269, was reportedly another great night of business for the promotion overall.
UFC 269 featured plenty of exciting fights and wild finishes inside the Octagon. Arguably the most shocking moment of the event came courtesy of Julianna Peña’s upset over Amanda Nunes in the co-main.
The event was capped off by UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira’s successful title defense against Dustin Poirier. After surviving an early barrage, Oliveira utilized his grappling and secured a third-round submission with a standing rear-naked choke.
T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas was raucous from start to finish as the fights went on, with the athletes competing in front of another sold-out crowd. Sports Business Journal’s Adam Stern recently reported the PPV statistics for UFC 269.
While the UFC managed to exceed a half-million PPV buys on ESPN+, the event didn’t outsell UFC 268. The card held at Madison Square Garden in New York City recorded around 700,000 PPV purchases.
It’s unclear how UFC 270 did in terms of PPV purchases, as president Dana White wasn’t present at the post-fight press conference to talk about the promotion’s business trends. Nevertheless, the recent bump in PPV price to $74.99 may have an impact on their business going forward in 2022.
Javier Mendez is confident that both of his pupils in Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev would beat Charles Oliveira with ease.
Oliveira is the current UFC lightweight champion and defended his belt for the first time in December with a submission win over Dustin Poirier. He is now likely to face Justin Gaethje sometime in the spring or summer. And should he win that, a bout against the winner of Makhachev-Beneil Dariush will be next.
Although Oliveira has looked dominant since he became the champ, American Kickboxing head coach Javier Mendez believes the former champ Nurmagomedov as well as Makhachev would be able to defeat the Brazilian.
“I know they both would beat Charles, in my opinion… Stylistically wise, Islam could strike, he can kick. Khabib wasn’t a great kicker,” Mendez said on his YouTube channel. “Khabib would have to go straight to the grappling with Charles and probably dominate him there. As a matter of fact, I know he would. I know Khabib would dominate him there. And I kind of feel, my personal opinion, as great as Charles is, I think Islam would dominate him there too.”
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Of course, Nurmagomedov is retired and doesn’t seem too interested in ever returning to the Octagon again. However, there is a very real chance Islam Makhachev and Charles Oliveira fight in 2022 so we can see if the Dagestani fighter would really beat the Brazilian and become the new champion.
In order for him to even get the title shot, he will need to defeat Dariush in the main event of a Fight Night card on February 26. This is easier said than done, as Dariush has been on an incredible run. However, Mendez believes it is only a matter of time before Makhachev does what his longtime friend and teammate did: become the undisputed UFC lightweight champion.
Do you think Islam Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov would beat Charles Oliveira?
UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira is already thinking about the pursuit of ‘champ-champ’ status after his first title defense.
Oliveira wrapped up his stellar 2021 by defeating Dustin Poirier at UFC 269, further cementing himself as the lightweight king. He earned the then-vacant title over Michael Chandler at UFC 262 after Khabib Nurmagomedov retired.
Oliveira has found a home at 155 pounds after an up-and-down tenure at featherweight. But, he has previously stated that he would entertain the idea of moving back down to 145 if a title shot was available.
“I really thought I couldn’t drop to 145 anymore,” Oliveira said, “But this last weight cut, I was really [close to] 155 before the fight with this work we’ve been doing, with lots of water in the body, and we believe we could easily make 145.
“If I had the opportunity to go straight for the 145 belt, I’d move down to fight. Also, if I had the opportunity to go straight for the 170 belt, I’d also move up to fight, but I believe it’s more viable to [drop down] to 145 instead of going to 170 at this moment.”
Kamaru Usman is widely expected to face Leon Edwards next but has taken out most top contenders. Volkanovski recently had his Max Holloway trilogy canceled and is awaiting a new opponent for UFC 272.
Oliveira is widely expected to face Justin Gaethje for his next lightweight title defense, but a money fight against Conor McGregor might be possible as well. Oliveira is looking ahead to a potentially active 2022.
Do you think Charles Oliveira could become a UFC double champ?
New Eagle FC signing Kevin Lee hopes to one day have the opportunity to exact revenge on UFC Lightweight Champion Charles Oliveira.
The pair met in the main event of a Brazil-held UFC Fight Night in March 2020. It was the final card before the COVID-19 pandemic forced the UFC to shut down for a number of weeks.
Heading into the clash, Lee was riding high off the back of a memorable knockout of Gregor Gillespie at UFC 244 four months prior. Oliveira, meanwhile, carried a six-fight win streak into the headline bout.
While he didn’t have the support of a home crowd behind him, Oliveira secured a submission victory that would have had the fans on their feet inside the Nilson Nelson Gymnasium, had it not been empty.
After that fight, Oliveira went on to dominate Tony Ferguson and win the vacant lightweight gold with a TKO victory over Michael Chandler soon after. Last month he defended the title against Dustin Poirier, whom many considered to be the best lightweight on the plant, cementing his spot on the 155-pound throne.
While he’ll be focusing on returning to form when he debuts for Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Eagle FC promotion this year, Lee still has one eye on the past. During an appearance on The Schmozone Podcast, “The Motown Phenom” admitted he wants to get his loss to Oliveira back.
“There’s a lot of things surrounding that fight. I want that fight back. We’ll see. We’ll make that happen in the future, at some point. I gotta prove I’m the best at ’65 first. And then, at some point, maybe we make that fight.”
Discussing what he’d have changed leading up to his defeat to “Do Bronx,” Lee suggested he should have taken more time after his KO win against Gillespie. According to the former interim title challenger, he was “talked” into returning so soon.
“(I’d have) took more time. Took more time, for sure. After I fought Gillespie, I needed some time off. I needed some time to let it sink in. Instead, I just rode the wave, and I was talked into riding the wave and going into the next fight.”
Lee went on to describe what went wrong prior to UFC Brasilia. As well as the quick turnaround, the 28-year-old cited his first winter in Canada at the Tristar gym, travel, and the fact he underestimated Oliveira as reasons behind the devastating loss.
“That moment (the Gillespie KO) was so big, that I knew I had to let it sink in. It was my first real camp with Firas (Zahabi). So I felt like we learned a lot about each other. I was just trying to get my feet underneath me in Canada and in Montreal, but then I had to go back home to kinda handle some stuff here in Vegas. Then I took that fight and it was right back into it. It was right back to Canada, in the middle of winter; it had been six or seven years since I had dealt with the winter. That’s another layer on top of it.
“It was a lot to deal with. On top of that, they flew me to Brazil on one day, and then back; all this happened within a five-week span of getting ready to fight someone like Oliveira. I think part of it was I underestimated Oliveira until mid-way through the second round. Then I was like, ‘This dude’s legit, fuck.’”
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If he’s to make his way back to a clash with the reigning 155-pound UFC titleholder, Lee will have to make a splash in the rising Eagle FC promotion. Having finally been given the chance to show his talents at 165 pounds, “The Motown Phenom” must prove his claim to be the best at that weight to be true.
If he can find success in the coming months and years, starting with his likely debut against Diego Sanchez in March, perhaps we’ll see Lee get the chance for redemption against Oliveira before his career is done.
How do you think Kevin Lee would fare in a rematch against UFC Lightweight Champion Charles Oliveira?
“A lot of people inside the top 15, top 5, top 10 they’re gonna say, ‘What the f**k is happening? Why is Conor McGregor getting to skip the line?’ Well, guess what? As I said, this is prizefighting, this is pay-per-views, this is the UFC, and they put on the fights, historically that we want to see, okay?” Bisping said on his YouTube channel.
Charles Oliveira Conor McGregor
“The fights that we want to see, they are the fights the UFC put up. So, if you’re not happy that Conor McGregor might get to skip the line and fight the champion when he’s not even ranked, don’t blame Conor McGregor, don’t blame Dana White, don’t blame the UFC, blame your-f**king-self because you are ultimately responsible.”
Although Bisping says McGregor is unranked, that is not true. He is ranked ninth but he still is well outside the top-five, which is generally where you need to be to get a title shot. However, even when Bisping fought Dan Henderson for the belt, Henderson was ranked 10th, so we have seen this before. Additionally, Georges St-Pierre was also unranked at middleweight when he defeated Bisping for the title at UFC 217.
McGregor is the biggest star in MMA history and draws a ton of pay-per-views, so financially it does make sense for the UFC to put the Irishman in the title fight, even if he is on a two-fight losing skid.
Do you think Conor McGregor should get the next lightweight title shot?
While Charles Oliveira may have proven him wrong at UFC 269, Justin Gaethje is hoping to flip the script when he gets his title shot later this year.
The Oliveira vs. Gaethje matchup was almost certainly confirmed at UFC 269. “The Highlight” effectively secured his place opposite the champion in 2022 by putting on a Fight of the Year candidate with Michael Chandler. After three rounds of action, the former interim titleholder was awarded a unanimous decision and overtook Islam Makhachev and Beneil Dariush in the race for the #1-contender spot.
His opponent was decided in the final pay-per-view main event of 2021, which pitted champion Oliveira against challenger Dustin Poirier. While many expected “The Diamond” to secure a third victory of the year and experience his first undisputed title crowning, the Brazilian continued to upset the odds, this time by submitting Poirier in the third frame and recording his first successful defense.
Having recovered from an early knockdown to deliver an imposing performance against Poirier, who some branded the “uncrowned champion,” many have suggested Oliveira has firmly proved Gaethje wrong. While admitting that to be the case at the moment in an interview with ESPN MMA’s Brett Okamoto, “The Highlight” intends on proving himself right when his own title shot arrives next year.
“I never said Charles Oliveira would quit in the first or second round,” Gaethje said. “The times I’m talking about is deep, deep in the fight when, you know, it gets rough, it gets hard… We’ll see. He’s proven me wrong up to this point. But, you know, my job will be to prove myself right when I step in there with him and make him quit.”
Gaethje Targets May/July Title Shot
In terms of timeframe, Gaethje suggested the contest is likely to go down in the second quarter of 2022, highlighting May as the earliest possibility.
“Even by entertainment standards, which are pretty low, I’m next,” Gaethje said. “How could I not be? … I would say earliest May, latest July.”
Per @raphamarinho, the UFC is planning a return to Brazil, likely for their May pay-per-view, which had taken place in Brazil in May of 2018 and 2019 and was scheduled for May in 2020 (cancel due to the pandemic) https://t.co/QdLiLiDE9m
Given his desire to dethrone Oliveira in the champ’s home country of Brazil and the recent reports suggesting a return to the South American nation in May, it seems logical we’ll be seeing Oliveira’s second title defense headline that card if it comes to fruition.
While the hometown hero would be looking for perhaps the most memorable victory of his career, Gaethje would be hoping to spoil the party on foreign soil.
How do you think the fight between Justin Gaethje and champion Charles Oliveira will play out?
Rising UFC lightweight prospect Paddy Pimblett says Charles Oliveira’s victory over Dustin Poirier at UFC 269 has given him the confidence that he could do the same in a fight against “The Diamond.”
Having joined the UFC roster in 2021, Pimblett now has the privilege of having a front-row seat alongside his fellow stars at pay-per-view events. He made full use of that treatment for the final PPV card of last year, headlined by Oliveira’s first title defense.
Pimblett Fancies His Chances Opposite “The Diamond”
In the eyes of most, the win cemented Oliveira’s place as the best lightweight in the world right now. A victory over Poirier, a heavy favourite heading into the clash and the consensus best 155lber leading into UFC 269, certainly seems worthy of securing that title. However, one future star in the division had a different takeaway from the result.
During a recent appearance on Michael Bisping’s Believe You Me podcast, “The Baddy” suggested Oliveira’s ability to take Poirier’s back and lock in a submission has convinced him he’d be able to find the same success against the former interim titleholder.
“I went with Poirier over Oliveira. And lad, after watching that fight as well, I’m watching that thinking, ‘Lad, if Oliveira can do that to you Dustin, I can.’ It’s mad like, when you watch (it), MMA math doesn’t work, but when you watch fights, you’re just like, ‘Wow, if he can do that and get in that position, then fucking I can.’”
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While Pimblett certainly has a long way to go before he joins the same conversations as Poirier, he is highly touted by many. That includes by his fellow Englishman Bisping, who believes he has the confidence and mindset to one day become a champion on MMA’s biggest stage.
UFC lightweight Dustin Poirier has revealed the supportive message his wife and boxing coach gave him following his defeat to Charles Oliveira at UFC 269.
Poirier’s incredible journey towards the top in the UFC has always seemed destined to end in championship glory. But after two attempts at ascending the 155-pound mountain, “The Diamond” has failed to capture gold and now sits at a crossroads in his career.
After making his way back to the belt following his defeat to Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2019, many expected Poirier, who some branded the “uncrowned champ,” to close out his 2021 with a memorable title-winning performance at the final pay-per-view of the year.
In his way was Oliveira, an underdog who has continued upsetting the odds and defying the narrative about his title credentials. Having won the vacant belt with a remarkable comeback against Michael Chandler earlier in the year, “Do Bronx” was tasked with a ferocious Louisianan for his first title defense.
Given the work he’d put in to earn a second crack at the title, which saw him record a victory over Dan Hooker and two wins against Conor McGregor, Poirier’s current state of mind is unsurprising. Alongside his immense disappointment has been a self-admitted dose of de-motivation and confusion at what lies ahead for his future.
Does he want to go through another resurgence to the title? Does he want to simply enter the Octagon for fun fights? Does he still enjoy the art of fighting? Those were all questions he said he has to ask himself during an appearance on THE FIGHT with Teddy Atlas.
“I’m still trying to figure it all out… (I’m having difficulty) seeing the (silver) lining of what I’m gonna learn from this, what is the lesson from this one. And also, looking in the mirror and asking myself, ‘What happens next?’ That’s the big question… If I’m out of the title picture, am I fighting to get myself back there? Or am I fighting for a pay check? Am I fighting because I love to get into fights? That’s the big question I have to answer. I’m still trying to process everything.”
Luckily for Poirier, whatever path he chooses to follow, he’ll certainly have the unwavering support of those closest to him, including his wife of 12 years and high school sweetheart Jolie Poirier.
As a part of his entire mixed martial arts journey, Jolie has seen and experienced the highs and lows of the sport. With that in mind, it’s unsurprising she has been supportive of Dustin since his latest setback, as “The Diamond” revealed to Atlas.
“Her (My wife) and my boxing coach told me the exact same thing. They both said they’re behind me 100 percent, whatever I wanna do moving forward, and that with the right mindset, I can beat anybody in the world. They both told me the same thing.”
Poirier vs. Diaz: On! Off? On! Off?
While his motivation to mount another title charge may have dwindled and his future at lightweight could be non-existent, the one matchup that has consistently had Dustin Poirier excited over the past few days and weeks has been a clash with Nate Diaz, something originally set to happen way back in 2018.
After an initial December back and forth and apparent agreement to fight in January or February appeared to collapse at the negotiation stage, it seemed that bounce-back opportunity was off the table for Poirier.
UFC Lightweight Champion Charles Oliveira hasn’t received Dustin Poirier’s promised donation yet, despite their post-UFC 269 conversations.
Oliveira defeated Poirier in the main event of UFC 269 via third-round submission, locking in a standing rear-naked choke in his first title defense. He had earned the belt after defeating Michael Chandler earlier this year.
Following their lightweight title fight, Poirier told Oliveira that he intends to donate $20,000 to a charity of Oliveira’s choice in his hometown of Sao Paulo, BR.
“I just tell people that the money didn’t arrive yet, but if Dustin really wants to make a donation and needs those bureaucracy documents, I´ll pick some local social project in my area,” Oliveira said. “The most important thing is helping people who need to be helped, but to tell you the truth, after all the headaches I´ve been dealing with due to that Octagon proposal, I really don’t know if it was good or not.”
Dustin Poirier Is Working With Charles Oliveira’s Team
After getting word of Oliveira’s comments, Poirier assured that he intends to live up to his promise and help the champ’s community.
For anyone asking about the $20k donation I promised, of course I'm going to honor it! We have been in contact with Charles and his team. We are waiting for them to figure out what project they want it donated to.
“For anyone asking about the $20k donation I promised, of course, I’m going to honor it!” Poirier said. “We have been in contact with Charles and his team. We are waiting for them to figure out what project they want it donated to.”
This isn’t the first time that Poirier has been involved in a donation-related controversy. Ahead of his trilogy with Conor McGregor, Poirier had accused the Irishman of failing to follow up on his promised donation to his charity, sparking a feud between the two lightweights.
It appears that Poirier intends to live up to his end of the deal, but it’s a bit surprising that it hasn’t come to fruition just yet after earlier tensions with McGregor regarding a similar issue.
What are your thoughts on this latest donation debacle?
Michael Chandler thinks Charles Oliveira’s 2021 run of two title fight wins secured him Fighter of the Year status.
Chandler recently joined The Fighter vs. The Writershow to discuss his personal fighter of the year. He gave the award to UFC Lightweight Champion Oliveira, claiming his two high-profile wins in the division in 2021.
Chandler sees those victories as what puts him ahead of the pack for this year.
Oliveira became a UFC champion in May, stopping Chandler in the second round to claim a vacant belt. He returned seven months later to beat Dustin Poirier, stopping him in the second round with a rear-naked choke.
“Watching what Charles Oliveira has done this year, claiming gold and then defending it against one of the best to ever do it, one of the greatest lightweights of all time [who] will inevitably be a UFC Hall of Famer, Dustin Poirier. So hat’s off to him, he would be my pick for fighter of the year,” said Chandler.
Chandler: Oliveira Takes Award Over Welterweight Champ Usman
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When asked about runners-up for this year’s fighter of the year award, Chandler compared Oliveira to dominant UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman. While Usman had a highly successful year with three wins, Chandler thought the “unexpected” factor of Oliveira’s success is what earned him the award in the end.
“Unfortunately, it’s almost as if we expected Kamaru [Usman] to be that dominant … When it comes to exceeding expectations and that feeling you get when you say ‘man what that guy did, that makes him fighter of the year,’ that for me is Charles Oliveira because I feel it was unexpected,” said Chandler. “Would we ever have thought Charles Oliveira would be the champion a year [or] a year-and-a-half ago?”
Who is your 2021 Fighter of the Year? Do you agree with what Michael Chandler said?
UFC welterweight contender Colby Covington believes Charles Oliveira’s victory over Dustin Poirier at UFC 269 had a negative affect on the legacy of Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Oliveira’s incredible journey from the middle of the pack to top of the UFC continued in the main event of the final pay-per-view of 2021. Having won the title vacated by Khabib with a win against Michael Chandler at UFC 262 in May, “Do Bronx” made his first defense inside the T-Mobile Arena.
Heading into the contest, many branded Poirier the “uncrowned champion” and predicted he’d end a short reign for Oliveira on December 11. Despite looking on his way to doing so after a first-round knockdown, “The Diamond” fell short of the lightweight mountaintop yet again after being submitted with a third-frame rear-naked choke.
Covington: Khabib “Never Fought A High, High-Level Wrestler”
For Poirier, who’s built a similarly inspirational rise to the top as Oliveira, the chance to complete his journey with title glory collapsed in a chokehold at the hands of another elite grappler. His first challenge was beaten away by Khabib in the pair’s 2019 unification bout.
According to Covington, the fact Poirier was beaten by Oliveira in a similar fashion to his setback against Khabib has actually damaged “The Eagle.” During an appearance on Submission Radio, “Chaos” suggested the Dagestani’s legacy has been delegitimized by the Brazilian’s win and the fact Khabib didn’t face Oliveira before retiring.
“It definitely kinda delegitimizes his (Khabib) legacy. He never really fought a high, high-level wrestler that could challenge him, that was good, in both areas of striking and wrestling, and submissions and defensive wrestling. So, you know, there’s always been doubts about Khabib’s legacy. He had an interesting route and he took some time off in-between his career. He got good matchups, you know, people that didn’t know how to wrestle. Even, a lot of people thought that he lost to a guy I used to train with all the time, Tibau, Gleison Tibau. He won a split decision over him but a lot of people thought he lost that fight.
Khabib vs. Gleison Tibau, UFC 148
“I definitely think that kinda puts a dampener into Khabib’s legacy. That guy’s (Poirier) going out there and getting submitted just like you did to him; the same exact way. So how would that matchup go with him and the Brazilian?”
While Oliveira’s latest success has certainly brought up questions regarding how a fight with Khabib would play out, it seems fans will never have the answer. Since hanging up his gloves following his victory over Justin Gaethje last October, “The Eagle” has consistently reiterated the commitment he has towards his retirement.
While Khabib continues to remain outside the cage, Oliveira will look to extend his reign beyond 2022 and succeed the number of title defenses accumulated by the Russian. If he’s to do so, he may have to halt the challenge of Khabib’s prodigy, Islam Makhachev, who’s set to feature in a likely title eliminator against Beneil Dariush early next year.
Do you agree with Colby Covington? Did Charles Oliveira’s victory over Dustin Poirier affect Khabib Nurmagomedov’s legacy?
The Pulse of MMA: Fan Reactions To The Sport’s Biggest Stories
In this installment of The Pulse of MMA, we look at the raw, unfiltered reactions from MMA fans to the UFC’s nominations for Best Comeback of 2021.
It’s the last week of 2021, which means it’s time to start looking back at the biggest and best moments of the year. Right now, that means taking a peek at the UFC’s nominations for the best comeback of the year.
After a brief recap of each comeback, you can find the Pulse of MMA letting their collective voice be heard on their thoughts on the final vote tally of the UFC’s poll.
Charles Oliveira def. Michael Chandler (UFC 262)
In the first round, Michael Chandler got off to a very hot start after an opening grappling exchange. After Chandler had his back taken by Charles Oliveira and lived to tell about it, he tagged Oliveira on the feet while pushing a frenetic pace on the Brazilian. It looked as though Oliveira might have been on his way out, but the second round gave fans an alternate ending.
Nearly finished round 1️⃣, champion 19 seconds round 2️⃣ 👑@CharlesDoBronxs is your first nominee for Comeback of the Year 🏆
First, to add a little context. Rodolfo Vieira entered this fight as the largest favorite on the card at a wide -410. At the start of the fight, Vieira looked every bit the part of the heavy favorite. He easily slammed Hernandez to the mat in the first round, which looked to be the beginning of the four-time jiu-jitsu world champion putting an early end to the fight.
After failing to lock in an arm triangle followed by an unsuccessful armbar attempt, Hernandez was stunningly able to scramble back up to his feet and begin to tee off on the muscle-bound Brazilian. Then, in the second round, this happened:
Weathered the storm, and submitted the 4️⃣ time Jiu Jitsu World Champion 🤯@ILoveBAMF is your next nominee for Comeback of the Year 🏆
That’s right, back-to-back nominees from UFC 258. In this one, Marquez actually entered as the slight favorite, but you couldn’t tell by the way the fight started. After clearly being down 2-0 on the judges’ scorecards and looking to be well on his way to a loss, Marquez summoned the powers of Miley Cyrus and the Kansas City Chiefs to pull this off in the final round.
An insane comeback in the Octagon to cap off a 2.5 year layoff 😳@JMarquezMMA is your next nominee for Comeback of the Year 🏆
MMA fans know that first-round Moraes is one of the most lethal fighters in the sport. And those early powers were nearly enough to make the Brazilian the first man to ever KO the roughhouse Georgian.
It was a big left hand from Moraes in the 1st round that began the danger for Dvalishvili, which was followed by a ferocious onslaught that dropped the Georgian and had him still on wobbly legs before he was able to somehow scramble back up to his feet. After barely managing to survive, here is what happened in the next round:
One of the 𝑪𝑹𝑨𝒁𝑰𝑬𝑺𝑻 fights of the year 🤯@MerabDvalishvil is your final nominee for Comeback of the Year 🏆
WHY THE F*** IS MERAB DVALISHVILI LOOSING THIS NOMINATION,AND EVEN MORE WHY THE F*** IS ovileira winning? I DON'T UNDERSTAND,IT SHOULD BE DECIDED BY PROS,AS IT IS IN FOOTBALL'S BALLON D'OR. THIS MAKE NO SENSE. MERAB'S COMEBACK IS SIMPLY BEST.
Derek Brunson has welcomed UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira to join him in celebrating a successful 2021 for “the culture.”
The culture that Brunson is referring to is that of blonde excellence. Since making the career-altering change to his hair color, Derek Brunson underwent a transformation: from overlooked gatekeeper into the seemingly unbeatable Blonde Brunson.
Blonde Brunson
Blonde Brunson made his UFC debut last year when he derailed the hype train of Edmen Shahbazyan with a TKO victory. Shahbazyan hasn’t quite been the same since, and neither has the MMA world after the arrival of Blonde Brunson.
In 2021, Blonde Brunson has remained undefeated. First, he was able to silence “Big Mouth” Kevin Holland with a one-sided victory in March. He then outdid himself in his second consecutive main event by defeating Darren Till via rear-naked choke in the third round of another dominant performance in September.
Blonde Brunson will enter 2022 looking to remain undefeated. But before he rings in the new year, Brunson took a moment to share his spotlight with a blonde brother from another mother, UFC lightweight champion Charles “Do Bronx” Oliveira.
Brunson also offered congratulations to Oliveira directly, who gladly accepted his membership into this sacred club. The lightweight champ even sealed this blonde alliance with a virtual fist bump.
Charles Oliveira did not have a shabby 2021 run himself by any means. As Brunson referenced, Oliveira also went 2-0 this year. He first captured the UFC lightweight championship at UFC 262 by defeating Michael Chandler via TKO in a vacant title bout. He then followed that up by defeating Dustin Poirier in the UFC’s final pay-per-view bout of the year to retain the title at UFC 269.
Now that Blonde Brunson has welcomed Oliveira into the blonde family this Christmas season, Brunson will now look to enter a sacred group that Oliveira is already in: the UFC champion’s club.
To do so, he first must get past Jared Cannonier at UFC 271 on February 12 to remain undefeated and draw one step closer to capturing his own world championship—for the culture.
Charles Oliveira would have liked Justin Gaethje to keep the same trash-talking energy when the two came face to face backstage at UFC 269.
Heading into UFC 269, Gaethje did not like Oliveira’s chances in his UFC 269 title defense against Dustin Poirier. Frankly put, he believed Oliveira was someone who had “too much quit in him” to be recognized as champion until he proved him wrong by beating a dog like Poirier.
Charles Oliveira surprised quite a few people with his impressive performance at UFC 269, not just because he won, but the way he did it: toughness, resilience, and yes, a refusal to quit.
Following the fight, Gaethje had no problem walking back his words in light of the new evidence he had just been presented with. He admitted that the Oliveira he saw in that Octagon was, in fact, a true competitor with championship resolve. He even had the opportunity to share that respect with the champion backstage.
Oliveira was courteous and receptive to Gaethje’s gesture, but apparently, he was wondering inside his head who this man was and what he did to the trash-talking American leading into the event.
To further confuse the champion, he says Gaethje’s remarks after their run-in switched up yet again, solidifying his view that Gaethje is duplicitous.
“The guy is talking a bunch of crap the entire time, and when we meet face-to-face he says he has all the respect for me and what I do — and two minutes later he’s saying he’ll break my face and saying a bunch of stuff,” Oliveira told MMA Fighting.
“These guys hype things up and try to sell the fight with something they are not. If you’re a humble guy, if you’re a respectful guy, you have to sell the fight that way. If you’re a guy that talks crap, you have to sell the fight talking crap the entire time — to my face and behind my back.”
Justin Gaethje Responds To Oliveira’s Remarks
Shortly after Oliveira’s remarks became public, Justin Gaethje took to Twitter to offer the following response:
@CharlesDoBronxs it’s called respect you fool and we are in the breaking faces business. My respect that night was just as real as my intention to take everything from you in your country @ufc#uhvaimorrerhttps://t.co/MjpvEv0Qy8
“@CharlesDoBronxs it’s called respect you fool and we are in the breaking faces business. My respect that night was just as real as my intention to take everything from you in your country @ufc#uhvaimorrer“
The closing hashtag of the above tweet translates to “You’re going to die” in Portuguese, a chant commonly associated with Brazilian fans towards foreign fighters.
In 2022, these two lightweights will have an opportunity to settle their differences and most likely exchange some very real respect between one another afterward. Dana White has confirmed that Gaethje is next up for a title shot. And even though Oliveira has openly stated he’d rather be fighting Conor McGregor, he also says he will not stand in the way of the Gaethje matchup the UFC currently has planned.
What do you make of this exchange between Charles Oliveira and Justin Gaethje?
UFC lightweight contender Justin Gaethje knows it’s crucial he’s at his best on the feet when he challenges reigning champion Charles Oliveira for the title in 2022.
Having secured his #1-contender status in his latest outing, a triumph over Michael Chandler in a Fight of the Year contender at UFC 268, Gaethje had a close eye on the UFC 269 main event earlier this month as his likely next opponent was decided.
The December 11 headliner saw champion Oliveira defend his title against Dustin Poirier. “The Diamond” entered the fight off the back of two victories over former two-division champion Conor McGregor. He was unable to recreate that success, however, as “Do Bronx” upset the odds yet again, submitting the Louisianan in the third round to successfully retain the lightweight gold.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXZ8L7yPZva/
Gaethje Hopes To Avoid A “World Of Trouble” Against Oliveira
Having accomplished the latter and evidently proven the former wrong, the reign of “Do Bronx” is well and truly established and will run into “The Highlight” next.
Following UFC 269, Gaethje spoke to ESPN MMA’s Brett Okamoto. Acknowledging the well-rounded game of Oliveira, which saw him trouble elite striker Poirier on the feet at times, Gaethje knows he has to be at his best on the feet to ensure he makes the most of his advantages.
If he’s not? Well, he’s “fucked.”
“At the end of the day, if my striking isn’t better than his, I’m fucked, per se. That’s where I’m great,” Gaethje said. “I’m great at creating pressure, creating damage, and stopping takedowns. So ultimately, he is going to be trying to get it to the ground because I’m gonna find so much success in the striking department.
“He is incredibly dangerous in the striking department, his knees, his elbows, his ability to create pressure, control distance; second to none. But I better be better, or I’m gonna be in a world of trouble.”
With his power, speed, and endless pressure, there aren’t many better tests to Oliveira’s standup game than Gaethje. But the Brazilian finished Chandler on the feet this year and troubled Poirier with knees and elbows this month. The champ is certainly no slouch on the feet, something the #1 contender is well aware of.
Will Gaethje be able to impose his will standing? Or will Oliveira grapple his way to victory like Khabib Nurmagomedov did against “The Highlight” in 2020? We’ll likely find out in 2022.
Who do think will have their hand raised in the likely next lightweight title fight, Justin Gaethje or Charles Oliveira?
UFC Lightweight Champion Charles Oliveira is set on facing Conor McGregor and has issued a date to the former two-division champ.
In many people’s eyes, the lightweight division is the deepest and most stacked in the UFC. Oliveira has proven that he is the best and has beaten some of the best already.
However, for his next bout, he wants to take on a man who hasn’t won at 155 pounds since 2016. Oliveira and McGregor have been going back and forth about fighting each other. Oliveira has set out a timeframe for this targeted match with McGregor as told to Sherdog.
“May would be a wonderful date,” Oliveira said. “Conor challenged me asking a date, and tweeted Ireland vs. Brazil 2. Not only him, but also myself and all the world wants to see that fight.
“So let’s make it happen. I’m waiting for him in May. It may be in welterweight, lightweight, or middleweight, with my title on the line or not. Just choose and I´ll be ready.”
The UFC and Dana White have already expressed that Justin Gaethje would be the next man in line for the title shot. If that is the case, Oliveira says he will agree.
“Gaethje was knocked out by Poirier, who I just submitted. He was almost knocked out by Chandler, who I beat via TKO, but I’m a UFC employee,” Oliveira said. “If they choose that I should fight Gaethje next, I’ll be ready too.”
It seems unlikely that McGregor will receive a title shot after two losses in a row and returning from a leg break. However, he is the most popular fighter on the roster and his fights do sell the most tickets and pay-per-views, and the UFC has given McGregor other opportunities that the rest of the roster doesn’t get.
McGregor’s timeline for return is unclear, so he may very well have to wait for his shot at Oliveira and the belt until after Gaethje has his shot.
Do you think the UFC would give Conor McGregor an immediate title shot against Charles Oliveira upon return?
Tony Ferguson is looking to run things back with champion Charles Oliveira.
Fresh off his UFC 269 win over Dustin Poirier, Oliveira was bound to get some call-outs from the rest of the lightweight division. With a successful title defense under his belt, Oliveira’s status as the champ is more solid than ever.
Oliveira has been called out by the likes of Justin Gaethjeand Conor McGregor, but one callout that may be surprising is that from Tony Ferguson. Ferguson had a reminder for the new champion after his UFC 269 submission victory.
Ferguson isn’t exactly the most logical next choice for Oliveira. Ferguson is currently on a three-fight losing streak. He has dropped down to number seven in the official UFC lightweight rankings. His last win was against Donald Cerrone back in June of 2019.
Oliveira defeated Ferguson at UFC 256 right before he went on to win the lightweight title. If Ferguson had won that bout, he could be the one holding the belt right now. Oliveira won by unanimous decision and that is the basis that Ferguson is running on when he claims Oliveira was unable to finish him.
Tony Ferguson Hints At Looming Return
Even though Ferguson probably won’t see Oliveira again anytime soon, it is a bit of a relief for Ferguson fans to see that he wants back in the Octagon. His last fight was in May, and he has been unclear of what his future plans were. He later sent out a tweet that could be an indicator of an incoming fight announcement.
This message from Ferguson is a bit cryptic like most of his tweets, but he does have a trophy and number one medal in there, maybe insinuating a title shot. If he can string together a couple of wins over top-ranked opponents, then perhaps he will find his way to the lightweight title and a fight with Oliveira.
Do you want to see Charles Oliveira and Tony Ferguson run it back?
Despite the heartbreak of his 2019 defeat to Khabib Nurmagomedov, UFC lightweight Dustin Poirier has revealed why his loss to Charles Oliveira at UFC 269 hurt more.
Ahead of this year’s final pay-per-view, many branded Poirier the “uncrowned champion” and expected “The Diamond” to leave Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena with the 155-pound gold wrapped around his waist. His form had suggested that was a big possibility.
Since his submission setback against “The Eagle,” Poirier had won three straight. Following a decision triumph over Dan Hooker in a 2020 Fight of the Year contender, the Louisianan re-visited his rivalry with 2014 opponent Conor McGregor. After becoming the first man to knock the Irishman out in January this year, Poirier secured the trilogy win when the pair met again at UFC 264 in July.
But when he set his sights back on the belt, it was a familiar story for “The Diamond.” Despite early success, the 32-year-old found himself tapping out in the third round yet again. This time it was a Brazilian underdog on his back, rather than a Dagestani brute.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXXyt0VsRCO/
Poirier: “I Could’ve Done More”
Both of Poirier’s title losses felt like heartbreaking ends to an inspirational journey to the top. But for the former interim champion, one hurt a lot more than the other.
During an appearance on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour in the week after his crushing defeat, Poirier detailed the difference between the two championship failings. Against Khabib, the Louisiana native felt he did everything possible to have his hand raised and was simply beaten by the better man. But he was left with a feeling of what could have been against “Do Bronx.”
“In the Khabib fight, I felt like I was bested. I did everything that I could and I lost. This one, I feel like I could’ve done more. And that hurts. That’s something I have to deal with. I could’ve been smarter. I could’ve been more in the moment. I could’ve been more locked in. And I could’ve been the world champion.”
The next step is unclear for Poirier. “The Diamond” has understandably had his motivation dented, and revealed he may never even fight at lightweight again. However, one name that got him excited about the idea of competing again was former foe Nate Diaz.
UFC lightweight contender Justin Gaethje has questioned whether Dustin Poirier’s lucrative fights with Conor McGregor earlier this year may have hampered his performance against Charles Oliveira at UFC 269.
At the final pay-per-view of 2021, many expected Poirier to secure his place in contention for Fighter of the Year through a title crowning. In January, “The Diamond” got his 2014 loss to McGregor back by becoming the first man to knock the former two-division champion out. Six months later, the pair headlined their second event of the year. Poirier secured the trilogy victory after the Irishman broke his leg in the opening round.
Following two lucrative money fights, Poirier turned his attention back to the belt. He became the first man to challenge the reign of fellow promotional veteran Charles Oliveira at UFC 269.
The result has seemingly set the stage for new #1-ranked contender Gaethje to have his second crack at the undisputed gold in 2022. Following the main event fight that likely determined which individual he’ll be looking to dethrone next year, “The Highlight” discussed the action that unfolded in an interview with ESPN MMA’s Brett Okamoto.
Gaethje suggested that Poirier’s previous outings in 2021 may have had a negative impact on his drive to succeed at UFC 269. Having earned millions with two triumphs over MMA’s biggest superstar, the Arizona native believes Poirier may have had less hunger than before this year.
“Luckily for me, I’ve just lost a fight two fights ago. You know, I’m back here in this position, but when you get to the top and you lose, you’re not sure if you’re gonna get back. And I’m not coming off two (fights) where I just made $10 million-plus, at the end of the day. (I have) the same goals I had from day one, which are to represent my family, my country, my town, to inspire the world, and to gain economic comfortability for me and my family through this sport.
“I don’t have that yet, so of course I’m still as hungry as ever. I can’t say that’s why Poirier wasn’t or was; I don’t think he wasn’t hungry, I just, I don’t know. I can’t imagine… I hope one day I know how hard it is to get ready for a fight coming off those two big paychecks.”
Gaethje Suggests Oliveira Had “More Hunger” At UFC 269
Whether the McGregor fights had a significant part to play or not, Gaethje, who was in attendance for Oliveira’s first title defense, believes the Brazilian had “more hunger” on the night. Nevertheless, “The Highlight” acknowledged there was more to the result than just that, also suggesting “Do Bronx” is simply better at this moment in time.
“You know, I think he’s (Oliveira) better right now (than Poirier), more hungry, per se, more specifically. That’s such a huge factor, and then the confidence, the fact the belt is around his waist, he’s representing Brazil on that level, it just makes this man that much harder to beat. I think that was a big piece of it.”
Having previously doubted the toughness and resolve of Oliveira, Gaethje will now look to prove himself right and do what Poirier failed to do when he gets his own shot at the Brazilian’s gold next year.
Do you agree with Justin Gaethje? Did Charles Oliveira have more hunger than Dustin Poirier at UFC 269?
