Charles Oliveira plans 2023 fight with Conor McGregor, welcomes Brazil homecoming at UFC 283
Ahead of his blockbuster UFC 280 headliner against Islam Makhachev in October, former undisputed lightweight champion, Charles Oliveira has sights set firmly still on a fight with former two-weight champion, Conor McGregor – remaining coy on a Brazil homecoming as soon as January at UFC 283.
Oliveira, the current #1 ranked contender at lightweight, is slated to headline UFC 280 in October in Abu Dhabi, UAE against the surging, Makhachev – as the 155lb division outliers tangle in a vacant lightweight title fight.
Featuring once this year already, Sao Paulo finisher, Oliveira managed to defeat former interim lightweight champion, Justin Gaethje in the main event of UFC 274 in May, submitting the challenger with a first round rear-naked choke.
Oliveira, who had entered fight week as the undisputed lightweight titleholder, was forced to vacate his title after he tipped the division scales by half a pound ahead of a scheduled title defense against Gaethje.
In the time since his victory over the Arizona native in the ‘Copper State’, Oliveira had been continually linked with a vacant title affair against McGregor, however, is slated to headline on ‘Fight Island’ against Makhachev instead.
Ahead of the monstrous title clash in the Middle East, Oliveira spoke with ESPN MMA reporter, Brett Okamoto, claiming how he still envisions standing opposite Crumlin striker, McGregor next year in a title fight.
“I like the narrative,” Charles Oliveira said of a fight with Conor McGregor. “It would be perfect. We’ve been asking for this fight in Brazil so hopefully it works out.”
An October to January timeframe for Oliveira would come as quite a timely turnaround for the Brazilian favorite, however, the former champion admits he would like to be aware as to who he would be fighting that soon before he landed on a Brazil return.
“I’d like to leave the Octagon (at UFC 280) already knowing who I’d be fighting next,” Charles Oliveira.
Charles Oliveira warns Conor McGregor against wars of words in Brazil
As far as a potential trip to enemy territory for McGregor, Oliveira warned the outlandish and outspoken Dubliner to pick his words carefully – particularly when discussing him around his home soil.
“I’d advise him (Conor McGregor) to take very good care what words he uses, especially when referring to me,” Charles Oliveira said.
Without a lightweight win since clinching the title against Eddie Alvarez back in November 2016, McGregor rides a two-fight losing run to former interim champion and common-foe, Dustin Poirier into his expected Octagon return next year – as he continues to recover from a fractured left tibia suffered in June of last year at UFC 264.
