Diego Lima, the coach of Charles Oliveira, has acknowledged that a potential fight with Ilia Topuria would generate more interest than a matchup with UFC champion Islam Makhachev.
The lightweight division is abuzz with speculation about Makhachev’s next opponent. Ilia Topuria, the former featherweight champion who is now eyeing the lightweight title, claims he was guaranteed a shot at the belt by the UFC. On the other hand, Justin Gaethje has also expressed interest in facing Makhachev following his victory over Rafael Fiziev at UFC 313.
Meanwhile, Charles Oliveira is eager for a rematch with Makhachev after their initial title bout ended in a submission loss for Oliveira at UFC 280. Although a rematch was scheduled for UFC 294 in October 2023, Oliveira had to withdraw due to injury, with Alexander Volkanovski stepping in as a replacement. Since then, Oliveira has secured wins over Beneil Dariush and Michael Chandler.
Speculation is rife that the delay in announcing Makhachev’s next fight stems from the outcome of the welterweight title clash between Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315. If Della Maddalena emerges victorious, a move up to welterweight for Makhachev could be on the cards.
“Charles is eager to fight for the belt during International Fight Week,” revealed Lima in an interview with Sherdog.
While the ultimate goal is to vie for the championship, Lima concedes that a showdown with Topuria would likely draw more attention – especially if it’s for the title. Recent exchanges of words between Oliveira and Topuria have only added fuel to the fire.
“Charles is focused on fighting for the title, whether it’s against Topuria or Makhachev,” Lima affirmed. “But in terms of generating interest, Topuria would be the more compelling option. He has been effectively building anticipation for his debut in the new division. On the other hand, Makhachev’s wavering decisions have somewhat dimmed his spotlight. We are diligently preparing for whatever challenge the UFC presents.”