Charles Oliveira has set his sights firmly on Justin Gaethje, declaring he wants the new undisputed UFC lightweight champion next in a showdown that would also put his BMF title up for grabs.
Oliveira watched Gaethje defeat Ilia Topuria at the UFC White House card on June 14 in Phoenix to capture the undisputed lightweight belt, the same city where Oliveira was stripped of his title in 2022 after missing weight by half a pound before finishing Gaethje in their fight.
“I made it very clear that I was waiting for the White House event to be over so we could figure out what the next step was. Now we know,” Oliveira said. “The champion is Justin Gaethje, and I definitely want that fight. I definitely want to be next in line. And there’s nothing better than putting both belts on the line, the BMF title and the lightweight championship.”
Oliveira pointed to the history between them in Phoenix as a key part of his push for the rematch. “They know there’s a lot at stake in this fight. There’s everything that happened with the weigh-in, the fact that I fought in his backyard and that my belt was taken from me there. There’s a lot of history behind this matchup. I have a lot of respect for him, just like I respect every opponent, but this fight has to happen. Like I posted, I’m just waiting for my phone to ring.”
Gaethje has said there is a very small chance he would fight again this year after going 2-0 against Paddy Pimblett and Ilia Topuria, but Oliveira is prepared to wait. “If it’s for a title unification fight, and the chance to make history once again, then why not stay on the sidelines for a while, stay focused, and know exactly when the fight is going to happen?”
Oliveira’s coach and manager Diego Lima planned to meet UFC officials in Las Vegas to discuss what comes next after Oliveira’s most recent win, a one-sided decision over Max Holloway in Las Vegas to claim the BMF title. As for location, Oliveira is open. “I’m chasing a title, so I have to go wherever that title is… It doesn’t matter where it is. Wherever the call comes from, I’ll be there, ready.”
