“I’m very surprised,” Chael Sonnen baffled by Charles Oliveira’s decision to become double UFC champion

“I’m very surprised,” Chael Sonnen baffled by Charles Oliveira’s decision to become double UFC champion

Chael Sonnen- Charles Oliveira

It’s safe to say that UFC Lightweight Champion Charles Oliveira has realised his potential and he is already feeling that he can do more than just conquer his own division. Oliveira is one of his recent interviews has expressed his desire to fight either one of the two belts, for either the featherweight of 145-lbs where Oliveira used to fight or the welterweight of 170-lbs.

Currently, the champion of featherweight and welterweight divisions are pound-for-pound #2 Alexander Volkanovski and #1 in the same list, Kamaru Usman. It’s not about coming up to the welterweight division, but going down to the featherweight division that is a matter to talk about for MMA legend and sports analyst Chael Sonnen. He, therefore, discusses Oliveira’s intentions for getting the belts at other weight classes in detail on one of his videos on his Youtube channel.

Charles Oliveira’s championship reign at 155-lbs is more than enough as per Chael Sonnen

Alexander Volkanovski- Charles Oliveira- Kamaru Usman
Alexander Volkanovski- Charles Oliveira- Kamaru Usman

From the starting of his take on Oliveira, Sonnen takes a good amount of time assessing the combat sports history as to how the lighter weight classes will always have an advantage over the heavy fighters if they ever decided to drop down to that weight class. He took the example of Amanda Nunes, who lost her bantamweight belt for 135-lbs but still has her 145-lbs featherweight belt in the UFC. So in that sense, he was shocked by Oliveira’s decision to choose to go back down to 145-lbs when he is already doing good at 155.

Sonnen then asked if Oliveira is overlooking the fact that the division he is the champion of as honourable as being a champion of 2-weight classes. “If you have one belt but it’s in the deepest weight class that the sport has ever seen, it’s enough,” said Sonnen. “I was very surprised by the piece of his mindset because I think that mindset represents that Charles doesn’t agree with me,” he continued.

“I am not sure Charles Oliveira is quite aware, of how difficult the mountain he sits on top of is. I am not sure Charles Oliveira knows that we all look at 155 as the hardest, and most depth, iron on top of iron in the weight class. If he did he would’ve had the mentality of Khabib [Nurmagomedov, preceding champion, now retired] of I will stay here… I don’t know that he would even be looking to leave [if he thinks that way].”

Charles Oliveira vs Dustin Poirier
Charles Oliveira vs Dustin Poirier at UFC 269

What do you make of Sonnen’s take on Oliveira’s desire to compete in the 145-lbs division back again, but for a direct title shot possibly against Alexander Volkanovski? Who do you think should Oliveira fight next and where do you think he is placed amongst the all-time greats in the lightweight division?

Also Read: “I show Jake Paul a lot of him,” BJ Flores reveals which boxer does Paul learn watching from, the legendary name will shock you