Charles Oliveira Claims He Should Compete For The Vacant UFC Lightweight Title

Mandatory Credit: Buda Mendes - Zuffa LLC

With seven-straight victories at lightweight, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ace, Charles 'Do Bronx' Oliveira has staked his claim for a spot in an upcoming vacant UFC lightweight championship matchup following the recent retirement of undisputed titleholder, Khabib 'The Eagle' Nurmagomedov. 

Sat at #6 in the lightweight pile, Oliveira has managed to find finishes in each of his last seven Octagon appearances, with a high-profile UFC Fight Night Brasília headliner coming in March, where he scored a third-round guillotine win over one-time interim title challenger, Kevin 'The Mo'Town Phenom' Lee.

The Chute Boxe trainee, who holds an astonishing fourteen separate submission wins under the promotion's banner - which is a record, added Lee to prior victories over Jared Gordan, Nik Lentz, David Teymur, Jim Miller, Christos Giagos, and Clay Guida. 

With both former world champions, Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor widely expected to clash on January 23rd. at UFC 257 in a rematch, speculation has begun to rumble in regards to if that proposed clash could feature the vacant lightweight title. 

Promotional newcomer, former three-time Bellator MMA lightweight best, Michael Chandler has floated a four-man tournament to decide the new undisputed 155-pound champion, featuring himself, the above mentioned, Poirier and McGregor, as well as former interim gold holder, Tony Ferguson - a matchup he's been majorly linked with recently. 

Unbeaten since June of 2018 - São Paulo native, Oliveira has suggested he should be one part of a vacant lightweight title fight.

"For everyone that loves fights or makes a living out of this, MMA reporters, that's easy math," Oliveira told MMA Fighting. "I have the longest winning streak today, I don't leave it in the hands of the judges, I finish them all. Everyone ranked ahead of me is coming off a loss (at lightweight). The only exception is Dustin Poirier. I think it's only fair that I'm the next challenger, that I have a chance to fight for the belt."

"I know I'm #6 today and I know there are a lot of fighters ahead of me. Like I said, Dustin Poirier is coming off a win. Conor McGregor said he retired and now he's booking a fight with Dustin Poirier. We don't know who should be the other guy, but I think I deserve this. It's seven in a row, not one, and I don't go the distance. I just need an opportunity."

"But it's not up to me or my team, it's up to the UFC to look and analyse - but if they do it right, they'll see it's ten years in the UFC, a ten-year road, and I've never turned down any opponent. This is my moment."

Oliveira was slated to meet with fellow streaking contender and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu standout, Beneil Dariush at a UFC Fight Island 4 event in early October, until he withdrew from the pairing - citing personal reasons. While that matchup failed to come to fruition, Oliveira has noted his willingness to score his second Octagon appearance of the year, in either November or December.