Charles Oliveira calls for Islam Makhachev rematch fight after UFC 311: ‘I’m next and he knows that’
Former undisputed lightweight champion, Charles Oliveira is the latest star to stake his claim for a title rematch with UFC 311 headliner, Islam Makhachev, claiming he is “next” for the Russian off the back of his dominant submission stoppage tonight in California.
Sat front row at the Intuit Dome tonight, Oliveira watched on with a keen eye on the event headliner — as former-foe, Makahchev took on compatriot and short-notice replacement, Renato Moicano, making light work of the Brazilian with a dominant opening round D’Arce choke submission.
Slated initially to share the Octagon with surging contender and common-foe, Arman Tsarukyan tonight, Makhachev was briefly left opponent-less, after the Armenian suffering an unspecified back injury whilst cutting weight for the rematch clash in the early hours of Friday morning.
And already receiving a stark call out and warning from unbeaten featherweight champion, Ilia Topuria, pound-for-pound number one, Makhachev was told by the Georgian-Spaniard that if he so wanted to fight him at 155lbs, he would knock him out.
“Islam, if I want to, I can finish you,” Ilia Topuria posted on his official X account following Islam Makhachev’s submission win at UFC 311. “If I want to, I can knock you out. I’ll make it look easy. See you soon.”
Charles Oliveira confirms plan for Islam Makhachev rematch after UFC 311
And sharing the Octagon initially with Makhachev in a vacant lightweight title outing back in 2021, Oliveira spoke with the promotion’s official social media following tonight’s headliner, staking his claim for a re-run with the Russian next.
“It was a great fight,” Charles Oliveira said. “He’s (Islam Makhachev) the champion. He did what he had to do. But I’m next — and he knows that. The lightweight champion is called Charles Oliveira. I’m ready for that.”
