Former
Ultimate Fighting Championship champ Charles
Oliveira wants his old title back so badly, he can taste
it.
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Scheduled to rematch Michael
Chandler in the co-main event of UFC
309 next Saturday in New York City, ex-lightweight champion
Charles
Oliveira felt that at age 35 he is entering the top of his
game. “Do Bronx” revealed to Sherdog this week that his training
camp went as smoothly as one ever has, while discussing what he
expects on Nov. 16 in Madison Square Garden.
“Everything went out perfectly, and the most important thing is I’m
hungry and motivated to defeat Chandler once again and finally get
my title shot again,” Oliveira remarked.
The two lightweight greats first tangled at UFC 262 in 2021, and
Chandler came out of the gate hot by hurting Oliveira more than
once and hitting a crucial takedown early. While Oliveira
eventually turned the tables and knocked Chandler out, the
Brazilian is razor-focused on winning this second encounter at all
costs.
“I always fight to decide the fight before the end,” Oliveira
stated, “and when you face the top guys, and I’ve faced all the top
of my division, you must be prepared to overcome adversities and
that’s what I did. Most important for me is to get my hand raised
and fight for the belt again.”
If the UFC’s all-time leader in submissions prevails at UFC 309, he
will likely be presented with a litany of options for his next
engagement. Previously competing at 145 pounds, the former
lightweight has flirted with the idea of shifting gears to 170
pounds for fresh matchups or a possible “superfight” against a top
name in that division. Above all, “Do Bronx” wants to work his way
back to the championship picture, no matter the twists and turns it
will take.
“If UFC offers me a good financial proposal in welterweight, why
not accept,” Oliveira admitted. “My goal now is to keep myself in
the lightweight division, but in two or three years I may change my
mind. I live one day each time. For now, I have a very tough
challenge. My focus is 100% on Michael
Chandler.”
Earlier in the week, there was a bit of confusion as to the status
of UFC 309’s co-main event. Rumors spread that either Oliveira or
Chandler had been forced out of the pairing, and that energized a
few names looking for big fights on short notice. One such
combatant that threw his name in the hat was the boisterous
Brazilian Renato
Carneiro, who offered to serve as backup if the original
pairing fell through.
“Chandler [or] Charles out? Call me,” “Moicano” wrote on
Wednesday, tagging the UFC directly. “I fight in 10 days. Time is
Money.”