Charles Oliveira is ready to take things to the next level.
The Brazilian lightweight contender hopes to get the winner of the Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson lightweight title fight scheduled for UFC 249 in April, or at least a top-five opponent for his next bout. This request comes after Oliveira (29-8 MMA, 17-8 UFC) submitted Kevin Lee in the main event of UFC Brasilia on Saturday night at the Ginasio Nilson Nelson in Brasilia, Brazil, his first seventh consecutive victory and first against an opponent ranked inside the top 10.
“I’ll fight whoever they put in front of me, but I deserve to be in the top 10. I deserve to fight a top five or the winner of Khabib-Ferguson, either or,” Oliveira said through an interpreter on the UFC on ESPN+ post-fight show. “I’m making history. I fought on the first UFC event without (the) public. I made history tonight.”
UFC Brasilia streamed on ESPN+ but was held without an audience after the city banned large public gatherings due to concerns over the novel coronavirus.
On top of the global pandemic, there were other issues present leading up to the event that had “Do Bronx” questioning whether he was going to compete.
“I was waiting for this fight for like a year. I’ve been calling out Kevin Lee for like a year, but I had some injuries on my right shoulder entering this fight,” Oliveira said. “I came in for the weight cut too heavy, I was concerned about that, but I worked hard, made the weight, and was able to put on a show tonight.”
No doubt Oliveira put on a show with his display at UFC Brasilia. The 30-year-old became the third man to submit Lee in his professional MMA career after locking in a guillotine choke in response to Lee catching his kick and tuning it into a takedown. Oliveira expected a finish of that manner.
“I was expecting that kick. We trained for that,” Oliveira said. “My trainer told me if he goes for that kick, make sure you hold him tight, and that’s what I did. He was so out of it that when he tapped, he didn’t even realize he was tapping.”
Oliveira is 8-1 since returning to the lightweight division. In this latest run the Brazilian has picked up notable victories over names such as Will Brooks, Jim Miller, Clay Guida, Nik Lentz, and now Lee.
Khabib-Ferguson winner or top five: That's what Charles Oliveira wants after UFC on ESPN+ 28 win