Charles Oliveira inherited the UFC lightweight title from retired champ Khabib Nurmagomedov, but the pair never faced off in the Octagon. Khabib retired undefeated after dispatching Justin Gaethje, and Oliveira claimed the vacant title with a decisive knockout victory over Michael Chandler. Demian Maia, appearing on Trocação Franca, believes that if the two ever fought, Oliveira would be the “man to beat” Khabib.
“If there’s a man to beat that type of fighter, it’s Charles, because Charles has [a good] guard [game]. You have to have [a good] guard to beat someone like that, enough guard to at least survive but also be offensive, to be dangerous there. Charles has that. Charles is a dangerous fight for that type of fighter. Not to mention he’s dangerous as hell on the feet.”
Demian Maia: Charles Oliveira Would Beat Khabib
Khabib’s fighting style was built around his remarkable wrestling. Nurmagomedov would routinely mount opponents, neutralizing their legs with his own, and maul them with vicious head strikes before moving into a submission. Nurmagomedov was particularly fond of the reat naked choke.
Demian Maia argues that Charles Oliveira’s jiu-jitsu could overcome Khabib’s sambo, a sore point ever since Khabib appeared in a tee shirt reading “if sambo was easy it would be called jiu-jitsu” ahead of his 2013 demolition of Thiago Tavares.
““It’s kind of the same strategy when I fought Ben Askren.
I was taken down and was working right away. You can go for a sweep or a submission during the takedown. Not that you can’t be off your back, but you don’t wanna be there early, when you opponent has too much energy to hold you and steal rounds.
I had this drill back when I fought Ben Askren, he’d take me down and I would go for the ankle, a triangle, a sweep, you know? I still do these drills to this day. But I think you have to be the type of fighter Charles is to be someone like that. If you don’t have jiu-jitsu, you don’t beat these guys.”
Charles Oliveira’s remarkable jiu-jitsu prowess and potent striking has seen him earn UFC records like the most submission wins and most finishes in UFC history. Although Oliveira was forced to vacate the lightweight title after he missed weight ahead of his latest title defense, he is expected to compete to recapture the title this year. A potential opponent is Khabib’s heir apparent, Islam Makhachev, so we may well get to see whether Charles Oliveira really can overcome Khabib’s style with his own.
Does Khabib beat Charles Oliveira, or is Demian Maia right? Let us know in the comments.
