Khabib Nurmagomedov gives Charles Oliveira a tremendous amount of credit. He even considers Oliveira the current UFC lightweight champion when the promotion does not.
With that said, however, there is a big distinction between UFC lightweight champion and undisputed UFC lightweight champion, Nurmagomedov explained in a recent interview with ESPN. In his eyes, Oliveira (33-8 MMA, 21-8 UFC) is the former but not the latter.
“If Charles wins against Islam, we have to give him credit,” Nurmagomedov said. “Then he’s going to be undisputed UFC lightweight champion. Right now, I believe he’s champion. I believe even this. People talk about the half-pound. I believe he deserved it. Right now, in this moment, he deserved to be champion. He’s doing a very good job, you know? But he’s not undisputed. When I finished, I was undisputed.”
