What’s next for Charles Olivera?
It hasn’t even been two weeks since Charles Olivera won the lightweight title with a second-round knockout over Michael Chandler, but that hasn’t stopped the rumors of possible opponents for the Brazilian’s first title defense. The 155-pound division’s talent pool is one of the deepest in the sport and leaves Olivera with several intriguing future matchups.
Dustin Poirier
As of today, it is difficult to think of a fighter more deserving of a title shot than Dustin Poirier. With the exception of a loss to the now retired Khabib Nurmagamedov back in 2019, no one has been able to stop Porier’s rise. No fighter on the UFC’s active roster has a win over Poirier since 2016. His recent run features wins over the likes of former title challengers and champions such as Eddie Alvarez, Justin Gaethje, and Conor McGregor. After knocking out McGregor in January, it seemed Poirier would for sure have a shot at the then vacant title. However, he opted to take the trilogy fight with McGregor on July 10th. If Poirier is able to secure another victory in that fight, there is no reason to think a title shot wouldn’t be on the table.
Conor McGregor
As Conor said to ESPN journalist Ariel Helwain in a 2020 interview, “They think I’m toast, but I’m still the bread.” Even if he is only 3–3 in his last six UFC bouts, even if he hasn’t won a title fight in nearly five years, even if his inactivity has allowed new faces in the division to emerge, there is still no bigger fight in the entire sport than one with Conor McGregor. McGregor is 1–2 in his UFC career at lightweight, but with a decisive win over Poirier in July, the Irishman could move back into the title picture. A fight between Olivera and McGregor would be a contrast of styles between an elite submission artist and one of the hardest hitters in the UFC. If McGregor is able to take care of business in his next fight, it would be hard for UFC president Dana White or Olivera to ignore the financial aspect of a fight with Conor McGregor.
Justin Gaethje
There is only one guarantee in a Justin Gaethje fight: Violence. Since coming over to the UFC in 2017, Gaethje has quickly become a fan favorite, earning nine post-fight bonuses in his eight fights with the promotion. After winning the interim title last May, Gaethje fell to Nurmagamedov in an attempt to win the undisputed belt. Back in March, Dana White stated Gaethje was, “probably next in line.” Although it is unclear if that still stands, a possible matchup with recent title challenger Michael Chandler could be the stepping stone Gaethje needs to get back to the title. Win or lose, Gaethje brings excitement every time he steps into the octagon, and there is no reason to expect a fight with Olivera to be any different.
Alexander Volkanovski (145lbs)
This is a little bit of a wild card, but Olivera has said that he wouldn’t be opposed to returning to featherweight if the right opportunity presented itself. As of right now, current 145-pound champ Alexander Volkanovski is filming the ultimate fighter and will fight Brian Ortega at a date that is yet to be determined. Volkanovski has already expressed little interest in a trilogy fight with Max Holloway, so if he is able to get past Ortega, a super fight with Olivera might be appealing to him. However, the 155-pound champion’s desire to stay active makes it unlikely this fight will happen soon. The Ortega vs Volkanovski has not even been scheduled yet, and it unlikely Olivera won’t have an opponent booked by the time the fight happens. Regardless, the status of double champ might be one that is worth waiting for
