Door That Conor McGregor Opened No Longer Open, Says Charles Oliveira

Former UFC champion Charles Oliveira believes Conor McGregor's feat of becoming the double champion is hard to replicate now.

Door That Conor McGregor Opened No Longer Open, Says Charles Oliveira

Charles Oliveira doesn't think UFC wants any more double champions, which was started by Conor McGregor (via Imago/X)

It is an incredibly rare achievement to simultaneously hold two UFC titles, a feat first accomplished by superstar Conor McGregor. Following McGregor’s history-making moment, only Daniel Cormier, Henry Cejudo, and Amanda Nunes managed to duplicate the elusive double-champion status. However, former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira believes fans won’t see this happen again in the UFC’s future.

This comment came after pound-for-pound number one Islam Makhachev vacated his lightweight title to fight for the 170-lbs belt. In a recent interview with MMA Today, Oliveira openly shared his recent observations regarding the surprising developments surrounding Makhachev.

What we've actually learned is that there is no more fighting for two belts. You either go fight for what you want or make it happen like Topuria did. Islam didn't do that. He waited until the last minute to vacate the his belt knowing 100 percent that he would fight Jack Maddalena. 

Following Makhachev’s title vacation, many, including top lightweight superstar Paddy Pimblett, called out the UFC for its seemingly unfair treatment. Before Makhachev, several former dominant champions like Israel Adesanya and Alexander Volkanovski were granted opportunities to become double champions. On top of that, not stripping Jon Jones for inactivity has sparked debates among fans and fighters questioning the UFC’s inconsistency. 

As Oliveira mentioned, Topuria previously faced a similar situation when he aimed to become a double champion by beating Makhachev. Instead of getting that chance, he vacated his belt entirely and moved up a division, pursuing the new lightweight title. Now, Topuria has earned a title shot, showing how unexpected turns can still align with a fighter’s championship goals. 

Makhachev wouldn’t have probably made the move if Belal Muhammad had won, but everything unexpectedly worked out perfectly in his favor. However, abandoning the Topuria fight landed the Dagestani in hot water, with many critics accusing him of intentionally running away. Despite the backlash, it doesn’t seem to bother Makhachev, who remains focused on extending and solidifying his championship legacy further.

Charles Oliveira gets a warning ahead of UFC 317

Oliveira’s past title reign was incredible, making him a fan favorite until Islam Makhachev took his belt at UFC 280. Since that loss, the Brazilian has experienced mixed results, losing one more fight but managing to secure two important comeback victories. His last outing was at UFC 309 against former Bellator champion Michael Chandler, a fight he won very convincingly.

Charles Oliveira vs. Ilia Topuria fight next
Charles Oliveira vs. Ilia Topuria fight next (via X)

Since then, he has consistently campaigned for a title shot and is now scheduled to fight Ilia Topuria at UFC 317. The bout will be for the vacated belt, and despite his experience and skillset, ‘Do Bronx’ enters as an underdog. Ahead of their anticipated clash, Topuria, at the WOW 19 press conference,  issued a stern warning to Oliveira. 

He's going to suffer with me a lot, a lot, because I'm not like any of the ones he's faced before. I'm not even close to any of them. And with the previous ones he has accumulated 10 defeats... That's why I say I'm very sorry that they have left him alone, because the truth is that it seems as if he has found himself in a room with me alone, and that is the only thing left for him. But well, I thank him with all my heart that he has accepted this challenge because I can imagine that it will not have been easy.

Oliveira is well-known for getting hit and then cleverly baiting his opponents to follow him to the ground. However, getting hit cleanly against a dangerous specialist like Topuria might not end well for the experienced Brazilian submission artist.