Trainer Diego Lima says Charles
Oliveira has a date in mind for his rematch against reigning
lightweight champion Islam
Makhachev.
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“My plan was to start talks with the UFC [Wednesday], but [Ian]
Garry just arrived, so possibly [Thursday] we will have a meeting
to decide. Charles wants that rematch with Makhachev in March [at
UFC 299] before Ramadan, so that will be our main focus,” Lima
said. “But if the UFC wants us to wait for Ramadan, we will do it.
We are not in a hurry. The most important thing for us is to have
Charles face Islam next.”
Lima has also considered the possibility of a rumored card in
Brazil, which according to American Top Team trainer Marcos da
Matta will be announced for May 4 in Rio de Janeiro.
„It´s gonna be a chess match. Fighting in March would be our
priority, but for sure one of Charles’ dreams is to fight for the
belt in front of his home fans. The UFC already announced [Sean
O’Malley vs. Marlon Vera
2] as title fight for UFC 299.… UFC 300 could have [Conor
McGregor vs. Michael
Chandler] and it will be Ramadan in April, so UFC 301 in May
can be a possibility.”
Oliveira last appeared at UFC 289, where he stopped Beneil
Dariush via technical knockout on June 10. “Do Bronx” was
supposed to rematch Makhachev at UFC 294 in October, but a cut
suffered in training forced him to pull out of the contest.