Islam Makhachev’s manager has dismissed reports that the UFC lightweight champion will defend his title against Charles Oliveira in January.
Makhachev submitted former champion Oliveira to win the vacant belt in October 2022, and the Russian is expected to defend the gold against the Brazilian in a rematch next year.
Oliveira suggested on a UFC post-fight show on Saturday (4 November) that January was a possible date, while MMA journalist Ariel Helwani said the same on X – formerly Twitter. However, Ali Abdelaziz, who manages Makhachev and has long feuded with Helwani, took to X to dismiss the notion.
On Saturday, Helwani tweeted: “The current plan - though not finalized just yet - is to have Islam Makhachev x Charles Oliveira 2 headline UFC 297. That event, while not officially announced yet, is currently slated [for] Jan. 20 in Toronto.
“The original plan for that main [event] was [Alexander] Volkanovski x [Ilia] Topuria, but now the plan is for that to be on the February PPV. Raquel Pennington x Mayra Bueno Silva for the vacant 135[lbs] title also scheduled for that January card, as reported yesterday.”
However, Abdelaziz responded: “Fake news [that] @MAKHACHEVMMA [is] fighting Charles Oliveira in January. Referencing Helwani’s ban from UFC events, Abdelaziz added: “Guys, please don’t listen to people [who] can’t even get credentials to UFC events, fake news b****.”
Abdelaziz even suggested that Oliveira, who held the lightweight title from 2021 until 2022, might not be next in line for Makhachev, who has retained his title twice – beating featherweight king Volkanovski in February and October. “Charles Oliveira don’t deserve nothing, @Justin_Gaethje next,” Abdelaziz tweeted on Sunday. He also manages Gaethje.
Oliveira, 34, had been scheduled to challenge Makhachev, 32, in a rematch last month, only to be ruled out after suffering a severe cut over his eye on short notice. Volkanovski, who was outpointed by Makhachev in their first fight, stepped in to replace the Brazilian but was knocked out in Round 1.
Discussing the cut and his return to the ring, Oliveira said on a UFC post-fight show in Sao Paulo on Saturday: “It was quite a deep cut. We don’t have any scheduled fights at the moment, so we can take our time to get a good recovery. So, I might go back into [the gym] within a week or so. No, [I’m not back in the gym], not yet.
Oliveira bounced back from his loss to Makhachev by beating Beneil Dariush in June— (Getty Images)
“We just heard [about January] in the locker room. People were asking us in messages. This is the first time we’ve heard about it, but that’s the timeline. January maybe, so who knows?
“You will see the Charles you always see. Always going forward, always going for the submission, the knockout, going for the win. I want to be champion, I want to be the next champion. That’s what I want.”
Oliveira holds the records for most finishes and most submissions in UFC history.
Of Makhachev’s knockout win over Volkanovski, the Brazilian said: “It was a great fight. Islam is really developing his striking. Congratulations to Volkanovski to face him like that, but Islam is evolving so much.”
Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos.
