Charles Oliveira is all set to recapture the lightweight belt at UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi. Only Islam Makhachev stands between him and reclaiming the now-vacant 155-pound strap. Oliveira has long campaigned to fight on home turf in Brazil, and in a recent interview with Ag Fight revealed that the original plan was for him to face Makhachev in Rio. Instead, Makhachev’s camp refused, and their bout was moved to Abu Dhabi, as close to home turf for his Dagestani opponent as it gets.
Oliveira discussed the negotiations, describing himself as “the most sincere guy in the world”, and reiterating that he wanted Conor McGregor all along, not Islam Makhachev.
Oliveira: Makhachev Fight Was Supposed to be in Brazil
“The negotiation wasn’t hard. Charles is the most sincere guy in the world. Everyone knows who I wanted to fight [Conor McGregor].
I don’t think this Makhachev fight should have happened now. They talked so much about how they would take the fight in Brazil.
That’s a lie. If they had accepted to fight in Brazil, we would be fighting in January. I talked so much about that Rio card. The truth is that they talked, talked, talked, but they took the fight to where they wanted. It’s okay.
The Octagon is the same anywhere in the world, in any country. Charles will be 100% ready.” With Oliveira set to fight on the opposite side of the world, he’ll be arriving in Abu Dhabi early to acclimatise to a very different environment from the one he’s used to.
“I told Diego [Lima, Oliveira’s head coach], this time I’m going to do something different. I never wanted to come to the United States with so much time, but this time I’m going there [Abu Dhabi], I think we’ll go 20 days before the fight.
If I’m not mistaken, 15 of the team are going, practically my entire team, from the part that makes my camp, will be going there with me this time. So we can wake up at the right times, we try to do the perfect thing, to make a perfect fight.”
Charles Oliveira conceded his lightweight belt when he failed to make weight ahead of a title defense against Justin Gaethje earlier this year. Although Oliveira won the fight via submission, he was ineligible to retain the belt due to the weight miss, and the UFC lightweight title has remained vacant ever since.
Do you think Islam Makhachev should have fought Charles Oliveira in Brazil? Let us know in the comments.
