Charles Oliveira and his team are hoping to sneak back into the lightweight title picture against reigning 155-pound champion Islam Makhachev at UFC 308 in October, thanks to a disciplinary suspension handed down to No. 1 ranked contender, Arman Tsarukyan, late last month in Las Vegas.
Tsarukyan defeated the former champ by split decision at UFC 300.
“Charles and I want the belt, and now with Arman suspended there’s no other names than Charles Oliveira,” Coach Diego Lima recently told Ag Fight. “Charles is second in the rankings, and if you look at the rankings, there’s no one to fight with Makhachev. So the truth is with Arman out of the game I believe there is no one at 155 to fight Makhachev other than Charles. So it’s certainly what we want, it’s what Charles wants.”
Oliveira was submitted by Makhachev at UFC 280.
“On Twitter, Tsarukyan (22-3) confidently declared, ‘I will be the next contender for the title. The rest of you can find a seat and watch as I become the new champion. #AndNew'”
Hopefully a chair remains open for No. 6 ranked Michael Chandler, who also claimed to be in the running for a lightweight title shot.
Tsarukyan, 27, drew a nine-month suspension for slugging a feisty fan during his UFC 300 walkout back in April, a timeline that would leave him ineligible for Makhachev in October. That said, “Ahalkalakets” can reduce his penalty by three months if he completes a video on anti-bullying (more on that here).
Goodbye Arman … hello Alex?
