Charles Oliveira has a tough task at hand as he has to face Arman Tsarukyan in a number one contender fight at UFC 300. Fans are excited for the contest because Dana White will guarantee the winner a title shot.
Diego Lima, Oliveira’s head coach at Chute Box in Brazil, has other ideas, though. Assuming Oliveira wins UFC 300, will he be willing to fight for the title, or will he stick to the plan his head coach has laid out? Everything will be revealed in due course.
Charles Oliveira’s coach targets Conor McGregor bout
Charles Oliveira rebounded from his title fight loss to Islam Makhachev at UFC 280 with a first-round knockout of Beneil Dariush at UFC 288. The victory earned him another title shot against Makhachev at UFC 294 but he had to pull out due to injury.
Nonetheless, he now has another opportunity to fight for the title if he is victorious at UFC 300. However, his head coach has other plans. “If we had the opportunity to fight McGregor at welterweight after this fight, we would fight McGregor”, said Diego Lima in a recent interview with MMAFighting.
Lima’s choice of McGregor comes from a place of respect and finance. Oliveira’s head coach respects the achievements of McGregor in the sport and believes that a fight with McGregor is the biggest fight that can be made in MMA.
The title is always in their thought but only second to a fight with McGregor. After a potential welterweight bout against the Irishman, they have no qualms about fighting for the lightweight title next.
UFC lightweight title scenario if Charles Oliveira wins at UFC 300
There are two high-profile lightweight bouts at UFC 300. In addition to Charles Oliveira versus Arman Tsarukyan, there is the BMF title fight between Max Holloway and Justin Gaethje. The winners of either bout could fight for the title next.
Since Dana White has called the fight a number one contender fight, the victor of Oliveira versus Tsarukyan has a higher chance than the victory of Holloway versus Gaethje. However, that does not mean that the victor is next for Islam Makhachev, the lightweight champion.
Makhachev has not fought since UFC 294 and is intent on fighting in June at UFC 302 as per Frontkick. Moreover, social media interactions between the champion and Dustin Poirier point to a title fight between the two.
If either of the victors of Olivera versus Tsarukyan or Holloway versus Gaethje is unavailable to make a quick turnaround at UFC 302, Poirier will likely leapfrog them in what is a ‘win-win situation’ for the UFC according to Daniel Cormier.
Nevertheless, Oliveira, if victorious at UFC 300, will get the next title shot after the potential bout between Poirier and Makhachev, Therefore, it is safe to say that Oliveira’s next fight after UFC 300, if victorious, will be for the undisputed lightweight title.
Do you think Charles Oliveira will get a chance to fight Conor McGregor? Leave your thoughts about it below!
