Charles Oliveira responds to 'very disrespectful' Ilia Topuria amid lightweight title-shot campaign
Charles Oliveira and Ilia Topuria continue to chirp at each other in attempt to stake their claim at a lightweight title shot.
Topuria vacated his UFC featherweight title for a move up to lightweight, and wants an immediate shot at champion Islam Makhachev. Oliveira (35-10 MMA, 23-10 UFC), who’s coming off a five-round decision win over Michael Chandler at UFC 309, is also gunning for his shot.
Topuria (16-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) brushed off Oliveira’s campaign by taking aim at his resume.
Oliveira clapped back at Topuria.
“It’s been 15 years in the UFC, respecting everybody,” Oliveira said on “The Ariel Helwani Show” through an interpreter. “I’ve said it already: My story is written there. Everybody can see it. He’s coming from a champion of featherweight division, and now trying to come up and show this.
“But I have firepower in my wrists, and I’m really focused on the belt itself. It’s not about who it’s going to be on my way, but getting the belt. He’s just trying to dig out a fight. He’s saying a lot of crap. I really respect his fights, the way he’s come up and everything, but he’s being very disrespectful now and is saying a lot of things that he shouldn’t.”
If the UFC does decide to go with Makhachev vs. Topuria, where does that leave Oliveira?
“Bottom line is Makhachev is the guy that has to be beat,” Oliveira said. “If (Topuria is) the next one to fight him, then so be it. I’m just an employee here. If he’s given the chance and not me, I’m going to keep fighting, keep preparing and keep waiting for my turn to come around. It is what it is. I don’t think much about it. I’ll fight whoever comes to fight me and that’s about it.”