“He doesn’t want to fight Charles Oliveira…” Islam Makhachev accused of ducking former rival after becoming lightweight champion

Former UFC champion Charles Oliveira is making a run for the title again. Oliveria will fight for the #1 contender spot at UFC 300. If he wins, he will face Islam Makhachev for a much-anticipated rematch. However, Oliveira’s coach believed Islam Makhachev was running from this rematch. Here is what happened:

Charles Oliveira‘s coach asserted that Islam Makhachev is avoiding a rematch. Speaking to MMA Fighting, Diego Lima said:

I don’t want to spark controversy here. Makhachev is great, he’s the champion for a reason. The guy is really good and has all the merits, but I think it’s clear that he doesn’t want to fight Charles again. He wants out of this fight any way possible. It’s more than clear.

Diego Lima via MMA Fighting

Oliveira and Makhachev almost rematched in October 2023. However, Oliveira had to withdraw due to injury. Now Oliveira’s coach Diego Lima said that he believed Makhachev did not want to fight Charles again. Islam Makhachev beat Charles Oliveira at UFC 280 to become the undisputed lightweight champion.

Charles Oliveira and Arman Tsarukyan will fight this April at UFC 300 in Las Vegas. The winner will solidify his position as the division’s next title challenger. Oliveira is a former UFC lightweight champion and holds multiple UFC records. He boasts a professional record of 34 wins and nine losses. Meanwhile, the 27-year-old Arman Tsarukyan has a professional record of 21 wins and three losses. Tsarukyan is looking for a quick victory over Oliveira to secure a rematch with Makhachev, whom he fought back in 2019 in his first-ever UFC fight.

Fans react to Charles Oliveira’s coach saying Islam Makhachev is running from the rematch

Diego Lima’s claiming that Islam Makhachev is ducking Charles Oliveira caught the attention of netizens on social media. Fans flocked to the comment section to share their opinions.

Here are some of the reactions from X:

While some fans hyped Oliveira in the comments, others pointed out that Islam Makhachev was ready to fight him at UFC 294. However, the event had to be canceled because Oliveira suffered a serious cut while training for the fight.

In case you missed it!

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• “Islam is different level…” Arman Tsarukyan reveals Charles Oliveira’s ‘weakness’ days after Dana White’s blockbuster announcement

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