A supremely assured Charles Oliveira is predicting no drama on the size and no issues within the Octagon when he faces Islam Makhachev to reclaim his light-weight title this weekend.
Oliveira declared he would knock out Makhachev within the first spherical of their UFC 280 conflict in Abu Dhabi on Sunday (5am AEST reside on Major Occasion).
However first he should make weight, shockingly shedding his title on the scales in his earlier bout, which he received by submitting Justin Gaethje within the very first spherical.
The Brazilian was furious the UFC took his belt, claiming the scales used on the weigh-in had been defective — a priority different fighters on the identical card additionally expressed.
So whereas he defeated Gaethje, it had already been decided he couldn’t declare the title given he’d weighed in at 155.5 kilos, lacking the minimize by half a pound.
Oliveira, on an 11-fight win streak, takes on Makhachev, who’s on a 10-fight win streak.
“I used to be born for this,” Oliveira advised Information Corp via an interpreter.
“That is a part of my legacy, a part of my story.
“I’m not frightened of anybody. I respect everybody, however I’m not scared to battle anyone.
“I’ll knock Makhachev out within the first spherical.
“Your complete battle I’ll be shifting ahead, keep on with my recreation plan, and that’s how I’m going to do it, simply hold coming ahead.”
As for the weigh-in, Oliveira stated: “Final time, I used to be on weight, I don’t really feel there was something fallacious as a result of I checked my weight, my weight was wonderful, however once I went there I obtained robbed of it.
“There’s nothing you are able to do, proper?
“It was a really unhappy second for me, as a result of there was nothing I might do. It’s unhappy for my legacy.”
Makhachev is skilled by legendary submission artist Khabib Nurmagomedov, who earlier this week questioned Oliveira’s vaunted floor recreation given he had been submitted eight instances earlier in his profession.
“With time, we be taught and we develop,” Oliveira stated.
“That is the previous now, it’s a distinct time and a distinct Charles OIiveira, I’ve discovered from the previous.”
Oliveira stated the delivery of his daughter Tayla in 2017 utterly modified his perspective on life, and his need to succeed.
“The delivery of my daughter modified every part for me, she was my first baby, I needed to do quite a lot of issues for her and do every part appropriate,” he stated.
Oliveira wanted corrective eye surgical procedure resulting from being near-sighted, admitting that all through his profession he’d had blurry imaginative and prescient and noticed three faces, attempting to hit the center one.
His eyes are actually clearly centered on regaining the light-weight title, and past.
Oliveira has already flagged the prospect of combating Australia’s Alex Volkanovksi twice — as soon as for Volkanovski’s featherweight belt, after which a rematch at light-weight.
““Initially, we’re going to deal with what occurs [at UFC 280],” Oliveira advised reporters via his translator on the UFC 280 media day.
“My timing is to really battle in Brazil afterwards. If we’re going to make this occur with Volkanovski, we’re going to battle in two weight divisions. I can battle [in Australia] in February however for his belt. I’ve a fantastic crew to get right down to 145.”
However first he should get previous the scary Makhachev, whose solely loss in skilled blended martial arts got here in 2015.
“I started the preparation for this battle three months in the past and have been coaching so onerous that it doesn’t matter how the battle goes — putting match, wrestling match, grappling match — I’m prepared for all of it; 25 minutes,” Makhachev stated.
“I’m gonna attempt to take him down, make him drained, convey him to the deep, deep ocean and end him there.
“All my skilled profession, I known as out Justin Gaethje, Dustin Poirier, (Michael) Chandler — all people — however all people avoids me. After this battle, every part goes to vary.”
Watch UFC280: Oliveira v Makhachev LIVE on Major Occasion accessible on Kayo, Sunday 23 October from 15am AEST. ORDER NOW >
Initially revealed as UFC 280: Charles Oliveira predicts first spherical KO, then double Alex Volkanovksi duel
