Charles Oliveira touted as lightweight GOAT over Khabib Nurmagomedov: ‘He has a pretty damn good résumé’
Off the back of yet another massive victory at UFC 289 last weekend, Charles Oliveira’a status as the greatest lightweight fighter of all time, has been increased tenfold according to bantamweight champion, Aljamain Sterling – who claims the Brazilian must now be included in conversations including the consensus best, Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Co-headlining UFC 289 over the course of the weekend, Oliveira returned to the winner’s enclosure with a triumph against the surging, Beneil Dariush, defeating the Iranian-born grappler with a slew of opening round ground strikes en route to a TKO stoppage win.
As for Khabib, the former undisputed lightweight champion, retired from active competition back in 2020, improving to 29-0 as a professional with a second round triangle submission win over then-interim champion, Justin Gaethje successfully unifying the division crowns.
Charles Oliveira touted as potential lightweight GOAT following UFC 289 win
Touted as a legitimate contender to the status as the greatest lightweight fighter of all time off the back of his stoppage win over Dariush, record-setting finisher, Oliveira, according to the aforenoted, Sterling is continuing to add to his star-studded résumé.
“What’s the criteria? Is it just accolades? Because if it’s just accolades, Charles Oliveira has a pretty damn good résumé,” Aljamain Sterling said on his official YouTube channel. “From title defenses, style points on finishes, been in the game longer. So for me, I think he has to be within that conversation. You have to include Charles Oliveira in that [conversation] against Khabib (Nurmagomedov).”
“I’m really looking at title defenses, and then winning streak as well,” Sterling explained. “Not like your entire career, I’m talking like in the UFC. Getting those separate win streaks in the UFC, it’s very difficult to do. And seeing someone bounce back from an ‘L’ the way that Oliveira has done time and time again in his career, there’s something to be said about that.” (Transcribed by MMA News)
Expected to make a return to the Octagon later this year, Oliveira has called for a lightweight title fight rematch with Khabib’s training partner, Islam Makhachev at UFC 294 in October in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
