Charles Oliveira explains calling out Conor McGregor, Paul Felder after UFC on ESPN+ 22

Charles Oliveira stole the show with his performance inside the cage – and on the microphone – Saturday at UFC on ESPN+ 22,

The Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Oliveira (28-8 MMA, 16-8 UFC) smoked Jared Gordon (15-4 MMA, 3-3 UFC) with an uppercut to earn a quick TKO victory. After a string of 23 professional fights and nine years without winning by knockout, Oliveira has picked up back-to-back finishes by strikes.

“I came to the UFC to make history,” Oliveira said. “I never asked for bonuses inside the octagon. I always focused on winning. This week everyone came to me asking if it would be a knockout or a finish. I said it didn’t matter; I just wanted to win. My coach even told me that I should not seek the knockout. It would happen naturally.”

After he danced and celebrated his win, the second order of business was for Oliveira to call out his next opponent. Two names came to mind: a lightweight clash with former dual champion Conor McGregor or a rematch with Paul Felder.

After the fight, Oliveira explained the challenges and why McGregor and Felder’s names were on the tip of his tongue when Michael Bisping put the microphone in front of him.

“I never called out opponents. I have always accepted all the fights,” Oliveira said. “But I think now it’s time. That is the reason I called out Conor McGregor and Paul Felder, who is the last guy that beat me.

“I want to prove that I am part of the group of the best athletes in this division. I’m not injured. I am 100 percent. I will be at the gym on Monday.”

Whether it be Felder, McGregor, or someone else, Oliveira will be seeking his seventh straight stoppage victory when he returns to the cage. The Brazilian has not lost since his first meeting with Felder at UFC 218 in December 2017. Felder won by second-round TKO.