Charles Oliveira is not impressed with what he has seen of Islam Makhachev recently. In a recent interview, ‘Du Bronx’ spoke reflected on the double champion status in the UFC. However, Oliveira pointed out that there was no longer a double champion in the UFC like before. This was because both Ilia Topuria and Makhachev had to vacate their respective belts in order to fight for the next one. But according to Oliveira, there’s a small difference.
Speaking with ‘MMA Today,’ Oliveira stated that Makhachev did not chase for the second belt like Topuria did. Instead, the Dagestani waited till the last possible moment to make sure that he had a favorable condition going forward.
“You either go fight for what you want or make it happen like Tapuria did, you know? (0:12) Islam didn’t do that. Islam waited until the last minute to vacate his belt, (0:15) knowing 100% he would fight Jack Maddalena,” said Oliveira.
❌Charles Oliveira says the era of double champs is over
"Islam didn’t chase it like Topuria did… he waited till the last minute to vacate."
mma today pic.twitter.com/Bfjml5LWjG
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) May 19, 2025
Oliveira also pointed out that the resulting matchup will surely be an intriguing one for the UFC fans to watch. Meanwhile, having gotten the opportunity to fight for the title again, ‘Du Bronx’ and his team went into overdrive.
Charles Oliveira Explains Emotions After Getting Coveted Championship Opportunity
Charles Oliveira has been wanting to fight for the belt for a long time. Unfortunately, he lost to Arman Tsarukyan that pegged back his chances. However, with a sudden change of scenarios, Oliveira was presented with an opportunity to become the lightweight king again. And this news made his team jump up in joy.
“Everyone started yelling, the kid screaming. I grabbed the phone, saw thousands of messages, and went straight to Diego [Charles’s coach]. Let’s go — 46 days for this belt to return where it should’ve never left. We’re more than ready and prepared for this fight. I’ll go all in, fulfill my promise, and get that belt,” Oliveira said via ‘MMA Today.’
Charles Oliveira Describes His Reaction to Receiving the News About the Lightweight Title Fight
"Everyone started yelling, the kid screaming. I grabbed the phone, saw thousands of messages, and went straight to Diego [Charles's coach]. Let's go — 46 days for this belt to… pic.twitter.com/C70qCnGjPm
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) May 14, 2025
Thus, with tension brewing, it remains to be seen whether Charles Oliveira can make the most of his chances.
Also Read: Ali Abdelaziz Downplays Charles Oliveira As A Suitable Opponent For Ilia Topuria