Getty Charles Oliveira of Brazil prepares to fight Justin Gaethje in their UFC lightweight championship bout at UFC 274.
UFC superstar Charles Oliveira is set to face Khabib Nurmagomedov’s protege Islam Makhachev for the vacant lightweight title.
Former UFC champion Khabib has been rallying for his longtime friend and training partner Islam Makhachev to get a shot at the title. With the division currently without a champion, top contender Charles Oliveira will fight Makhachev at UFC 280 on Oct. 22 at the Etihad Arena in Yas Island, United Arab Emirates.
Makhachev has been lurking around the gold for the last few months, and with “The Eagle” extending his support, he will finally get the long-awaited title match.
The official announcement was made during the live broadcast of UFC on ABC 3 this past Saturday. They also posted the news online: “The fight you’ve all been asking for 👀 @CharlesDoBronxs vs @MakhachevMMA is set for the LW title.”
The fight you’ve all been asking for 👀
@CharlesDoBronxs vs @MakhachevMMA is set for the LW title 👑
[ #UFC280 | @VisitAbuDhabi | @InAbuDhabi | #InAbuDhabi ]
Unlike his mentor Khabib, he has a loss on his resume that came in Oct. 2015. The number three ranked contender at lightweight, Makhachev goes into the contest on a 10-fight win streak with notable wins over Bobby Green, Dan Hooker, Arman Tsarukyan, and Gleison Tibau.
Charles Oliveira Wins 2022 ESPY Award
“Do Bronx” won the 2022 ESPN Player of the Year (ESPY) Award for the Best MMA Fighter and will be honored this July 20 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. It will also broadcast on ABC.
Oliveira has had his eyes set on getting the gold back since a statement victory over Justin Gaethje this past May. He became the first champion in the company’s history to lose his title on the scales after he came in half a pound over the championship limit at UFC 274.
He was forced to vacate the title as soon as he stepped foot inside the octagon. While Gaethje was eligible to claim the strap, Oliveira would only be the top contender after the win.
There was widespread controversy surrounding the scales that were in use for the event. Numerous other athletes also missed weight claiming the scale had been tampered with, something the UFC acknowledged.
He had expressed interest in welcoming Conor McGregor back after the horrific leg injury. However, McGregor doesn’t appear to be ready yet and will likely need longer to recover before he can solidify a date and his next opponent.
Khabib Believes Islam Will Be the Next Champion
Khabib had relinquished the 155 lb title following a final defense against Gaethje in October 2020. The legendary Dagestani fighter achieved the remarkable feat of retiring undefeated at the highest level with a record of 29-0 in the sport.
Following Khabib’s retirement, Oliveira was pitted against former Bellator champion Michael Chandler at UFC 262 in May 2021. He made a comeback in the bout after being dropped early to win the title by knocking out “Iron” Mike.
In his second title defense, Oliveira faced the former interim UFC champion Dustin Poirier and managed to add another finish to his record by third-round submission.
UFC 280 will be headlined by the vacant lightweight title bout between Oliveira and Makhachev. Belal Muhammad will take on Sean Brady on the same card as they look to get closer to title contention.