5 fights to make in the UFC lightweight division

Charles Oliveira defeated Justin Gaethje on Saturday
Charles Oliveira defeated Justin Gaethje on Saturday

#2. Islam Makhachev vs. Beneil Dariush

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Makhachev (pictured) and Dariush are ranked no. 4 and no. 6
Makhachev (pictured) and Dariush are ranked no. 4 and no. 6

The UFC have a big decision to make regarding Islam Makhachev's next opponent. Dana White had previously indicated that he would re-book the fight against Beneil Dariush after it fell through previously. His reasoning appeared to be that since Makhachev pulled out of a fight with Rafael dos Anjos, he shouldn't be rewarded with a title shot.

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However, White indicated he may be reconsidering this as Oliveira is currently without a dance partner for a potential vacant title bout down the line. It seems that he may be tempted to give the Dagestani that opportunity. With that being said, Makhachev hasn't beaten any of the fighters at the top of the division.

For both fighters, you get the sense that one more win would silence those doubting how deserving they are of a title shot. Neither man seems to quite have done enough to sure up a title opportunity and so keeping this fight together seems like the best course of action.

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#1. Charles Oliveira vs. Conor McGregor - UFC lightweight championship

McGregor (pictured) and Oliveira are ranked no. 9 and no. 1
McGregor (pictured) and Oliveira are ranked no. 9 and no. 1

Many fans will be quick to point out that Conor McGregor hasn't won at lightweight since 2016 and therefore may not be deserving of a title shot. However, McGregor is the biggest star the sport has ever seen and traditional logic does not necessarily apply to him.

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Seeing 'The Notorious' compete for championship gold would once again be big business for the UFC and Charles Oliveira seems on board with the idea. If all parties are keen on the fight, it just might happen. On top of that, this could prove to be a very interesting fight stylistically.

Oliveira may be dominating his opponents with jiu-jitsu, but he has also proved to be prone to getting caught with some big shots in his fights. McGregor, pound-for-pound, is one of the more powerful strikers in the sport. If he were to land that big shot on the Brazilian, perhaps the Irishman could reclaim the UFC lightweight title.

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Edited by Harvey Leonard
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