Top UFC lightweight contender Charles Oliveira has called for a fight against former UFC interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier.
Dustin Poirier is coming off of a second-round TKO win over former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion Conor McGregor in the main event of UFC 257, which took place at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.
With Dustin Poirier taking out Conor McGregor, Charles Oliveira says that he should be fighting the Louisiana native for the title next. Charles Oliveira is coming off of a unanimous decision win over former interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson at UFC 256 last December. He completely dominated Ferguson in the fight on the ground and put his name out there as one of the top lightweights in the division.
“That’s the fight to make,” Charles Oliveira said in an interview with MMAFighting. “Dustin Poirier himself said this is the fight to make. I’m coming off eight straight wins, and I’m not playing games in the division, and he knows that.
“What’s left? There’s nowhere to go. The UFC gave me Tony Ferguson on 20 days’ notice, ‘The Boogeyman,’ and you all saw what happened. They put Dustin Poirier against Conor McGregor – everybody knows how important [McGregor] is for the promotion – and look what Dustin Poirier did. Don’t we deserve this title fight? This is the fight to make.”
Charles Oliveira says he will be champion in 2021
Charles Oliveira has stated that he will be champion in 2021. While he stated that he respected Dustin Poirier’s skill, he said that he has the perfect gameplan to beat Poirier.
“Dustin Poirier is really tough on the feet and on the ground,” he said. “Everybody knows I’m evolving on the feet, and I don’t shy away from trading with anyone. But also everybody knows how dangerous I am when I take people down. I respect everyone, but this is my moment and my time. I’ll be the UFC champion in 2021. Knockout or submission, it doesn’t matter, my hands will be raised in the end.”
He also said that if he beats Dustin Poirier, it could even entice Khabib Nurmagomedov to come out of retirement and fight a new face.
“You have to respect the man, 29 wins in a row, never lost in his career,” Charles Oliveira said. “He’s dominated everyone he’s fought, he’s beaten the big names in the division. But he hasn’t fought me, so he can’t say he’s levels above everyone. He can say he’s better than the ones he fought. Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor, he fought them both, so he can say he’s better than those two, but he can’t say since he never fought me.
“Me beating Dustin Poirier and becoming champion, that could definitely entice him to return, and if he does, he goes straight for the belt. But I don’t see him coming back. He made a promise over his father’s grave, so let’s focus on what has to happen here, which is Charles Oliveira vs. Dustin Poirier for the lightweight belt.”
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