It’s the lightweight rematch fans have been waiting for. With Charles Oliveira fresh off the back of his show-stopping win over Beneil Dariush at UFC 289 this past weekend, UFC president Dana White took to the post-fight press conference to confirm that “Do Bronx” is heading for UFC gold once more.
“Incredible performance, especially against Beneil, who a lot of people thought was going to win this fight. Incredible. If you look at how that guy turned his career around from 2016 to today, he’s a completely different fighter. What he has accomplished in the last however many years has been unbelievable.
UFC President Promises Charles Oliveira vs Islam Makhachev For Next Lightweight Title Fight
What’s it been, seven, eight years? It’s amazing what he’s done, and he looked like a world-beater tonight. I’m excited for him and Islam to fight again.
I’m just saying, it’s a thing that makes sense. Let’s not play games, that fight makes sense, that’s the fight that should happen, and I’m excited to see it again.”
Islam Makhachev dispatched Oliveira in the first round of their fight last year, at UFC 280, to earn the lightweight title. There are plenty of considerations from the UFC’s point of view, including potential medical issues and Makhachev’s ability to fight.
“There’s a lot of things that go into consideration for the next fight. I’m sitting here talking to you right now and I don’t even know what’s wrong with him. He’s in medicals, I don’t know where he’s at, I don’t know what he’s got planned over the summer, the list goes on and on of things that factor into how fights are made. But I’m just telling you right here, right now, it’s a fight I’d like to see again.”
While Charles Oliveira will be riding high on this victory, it snapped opponent Beneil Dariush’s eight-fight winning streak. Dariush’s next move, considering his age, is less clear.
“This is one of those things, for him, he’s been waiting for this opportunity. He’s got to go home, get with his team, get with his family, there’s a lot that plays out on his side, on what he wants to do next and where his head’s at, and then we’ll figure that out.
The guy just lost probably the most heart-breaking loss of his entire career, so he’s got a lot of stuff he needs to deal with mentally, emotionally, and whatever else.” Do you think we’ll see Oliveira vs Makhachev 2 this year? Let us know in the comments.
