UFC BMF champion Charles Oliveira made the case for why he should be next in line to fight new UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje.
Oliveira previously defeated Gaethje at UFC 274 in May 2022. Four years later, and now that Gaethje is the UFC lightweight champion, “Do Bronxs” wants to fight him next in a double title fight for UFC 155 lbs gold that Gaethje possesses, plus the BMF title that Oliveira holds.
Charles Oliveira Wants Justin Gaethje Next
Speaking to MMAFighting.com’s Guilherme Cruz, Oliveira made the argument that he should be next in line to fight the champ.
“I made it very clear that I was waiting for the White House event to be over so we could figure out what the next step was. Now we know. The champion is Justin Gaethje, and I definitely want that fight. I definitely want to be next in line. And there’s nothing better than putting both belts on the line, the BMF title and the lightweight championship,” Oliveira said.
“I’m just waiting for a phone call (from the UFC). They know there’s a lot at stake in this fight. There’s everything that happened with the weigh-in, the fact that I fought in his backyard and that my belt was taken from me there. There’s a lot of history behind this matchup. I have a lot of respect for him, just like I respect every opponent, but this fight has to happen. Like I posted, I’m just waiting for my phone to ring.”
Charles Oliveira Might Have to Wait For Arman Tsarukyan First
While Oliveira certainly has a case to fight Gaethje for the belt, Arman Tsarukyan likely has a better one, since he has won five straight fights, which include a split decision win over Oliveira at UFC 300.
That fight seems like an eternity ago, and it was, since that bout took place in April 2024. But that’s how long Tsarukyan has been waiting to fight for the UFC lightweight title.
Ultimately, it will be up to the UFC to decide who fights Gaethje next, but Oliveira certainly has a good argument that he should be next in line following a recent decisive win over Max Holloway that showed he is still at the top of his game.
Gaethje will likely have a say in who his next opponent is, but the reality is, it will be up to the UFC matchmakers to choose who gets the title shot.
Charles Oliveira Makes Case For Fighting Justin Gaethje Next