5 ways that Charles Oliveira vs. Islam Makhachev might turn out

Charles Oliveira and Islam Makhachev will finally cross swords at UFC 280. The pay-per-view event is fast-approaching and has captured the intrigue of UFC fans for countless reasons.

Some are eager to crown 'Do Bronx' the greatest lightweight in UFC history if he manages to overcome the Dagestani sensation. Meanwhile, others are curious about how well Islam Makhachev will do against a top-level foe.

While his 10-fight win streak is nothing to scoff at, Islam Makhachev has not defeated anyone — other than Arman Tsarukyan — who is currently ranked as a top 10 lightweight. Furthermore, his two most recent wins over Bobby Green and Dan Hooker came with both opponents accepting the bout on short notice.

The interest in seeing whether Islam Makhachev is indeed as good as he seems by finally watching him fight an elite fighter like Charles Oliveira is palpable. Many also regard 'Do Bronx' and his Dagestani foe as the next generation versions of Tony Ferguson and Khabib Nurmagomedov.

The excitement of witnessing two distinct grappling styles clashing to determine which one reigns supreme has drawn the interest of many. However, Charles Oliveira and Islam Makhachev might not grapple at all.

The fight could transpire in countless different ways, and this list explores five of those possibilities.

#5. Islam Makhachev neutralizes Charles Oliveira's grappling

There's significant interest in how the grappling sequences involving Islam Makhachev and Charles Oliveira will transpire. Khabib Nurmagomedov rarely faced fighters whose grappling credentials translated well into MMA. The former UFC lightweight champion's bout with Rafael dos Anjos is a prime example.

While 'RDA' is an accomplished fourth-degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, his grappling took a backseat to his pressure-based Muay Thai. Against Charles Oliveira, Islam Makhachev will face the greatest submission specialist in UFC history.

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Unfortunately, Brazilian jiu-jitsu is not only about securing submissions, it is also about positional grappling. Charles Oliveira's positional grappling is great, but he's not patient. He's extremely aggressive in his pursuit of submissions.

However, since Islam Makhachev triangles his opponent's legs with his own before elevating their ankles off the mat, Charles Oliveira won't be able to threaten any submissions.

Due to the low-level of focus the Brazilian gives to positional grappling, he won't be as well equipped to keep his Dagestani foe from neutralizing him with superior top control.

#4. Charles Oliveira KOs/TKOs Islam Makhachev

Charles Oliveira is by far the better striker compared to Islam Makhachev. The Dagestani phenom is more polished than his countryman Khabib Nurmagomedov. He is more defensively responsible and doesn't overextend his punches or charge recklessly into exchanges.

Furthermore, Makhachev is a better kicker. Unfortunately, the Russian challenger is not a flawless defensive striker. He has two habits that will likely cause massive issues against Charles Oliveira if he's unable to wrestle him.

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Islam Makhachev leans his torso a little too forward when throwing punches, causing him to lead with his chin in a manner similar to Conor McGregor. Furthermore, the former World Combat Sambo champion often keeps his striking exchanges short, rendering him poorly suited to extended exchanges.

Meanwhile, Charles Oliveira possesses an exceptional counter-left hook designed to catch foes who lead with their chins, as it allowed him to flatten Michael Chandler.

Additionally, 'Do Bronx' deliberately extends his exchanges with either long combinations or clinch-striking, rendering his approach ideal for forcing Makhachev out of his comfort zone. Given the knockout power that the Brazilian possesses, a stand-up affair might lead to a TKO or KO win for Oliviera.

#3. Islam Makhachev wins via ground-and-pound

Charles Oliveira is not the greatest defensive grappler in the world. The Brazilian prioritizes offense above defense. Whenever 'Do Bronx' is grounded by an opponent, he immediately looks to advance to a position from which he can threaten with submissions.

Unfortunately, attempting submissions with his back on the mat is nearly impossible without the use of his legs. Islam Makhachev always triangles the legs of his opponents with his own. Furthermore, he uses his legs to raise his foe's ankles off the mat, rendering them unable to threaten with any submissions.

This will be especially troublesome for Charles Oliveira to deal with as it creates an easy opening for his foe to land ground-and-pound. Submissions typically arise when a fighter's opponent creates space, whether that's from trying to land strikes or by posturing with elevated hips.

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However, since Oliveira will not be able to threaten with submissions due to his triangled legs, Makhachev will be free to land ground-and-pound en route to a TKO. Why is this not the case when Makhachev fights others? The reason is simple.

On the mat, most opponents try to neutralize the Dagestani grappler by wrapping their legs around his waist and their hands around his neck to break his posture and tug him down until the referee stands them up.

Charles Oliveira is not defensively-minded nor does he give too much credence to positional grappling like Gilbert Burns does. The former lightweight champion focuses more on securing submissions whenever possible. Opponents like Justin Gaethje and Dustin Poirier made grave mistakes by refusing to engage 'Do Bronx' on the mat after hurting him.

Doing so affords the Brazilian the chance to simply flop to the ground when he's hurt, knowing his foes fear his submissions so much they'll allow him to recover. Nick Lentz enjoyed significant success when he landed blows from the Brazilian's guard. Similarly, Paul Felder TKO'd him by fighting in his guard without fear.

#2. Charles Oliveira wins with a guillotine choke

Using guillotine chokes as a counter to an opponent's takedown isn't always advisable. If the guillotine isn't immediately secured, then the submission attempt fails and the fighter in question ends up conceding a dominant submission to their opponent.

However, as Nate Diaz's win over Tony Ferguson at UFC 279 recently demonstrated, a guillotine choke is a good counter against an opponent who positions their head on the outside when shooting in for a takedown.

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A takedown with one hand against the midsection is safer, but doesn't offer as much penetration. Islam Makhachev often shoots for single-leg takedowns with his head positioned on the outside of his opponent's hip.

While this style of takedown is better suited for chain wrestling since the wrestler can turn at deep angles if the initial shot is stuffed, it exposes the neck to a counter-guillotine.

Charles Oliveira possesses one of the best guillotine chokes in MMA. Like Fabricio Werdum did against Cian Velasquez, 'Do Bronx' can counter such a single-leg takedown from Islam Makhachev with a guillotine. Given the Brazilian's long limbs, he's able to generate extreme leverage with his chokes.

#1. A split decision for either fighter

While Charles Oliveira is the greatest finisher in UFC history, Islam Makhachev has only lost once in 23 bouts. Furthermore, if the Dagestani sensation opts for a conservative approach to his defensive striking to limit how often he overextends his punches, it'll be difficult for the Brazilian to KO or TKO him.

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Although it's possible for 'Do Bronx' to counter a takedown with a guillotine choke, his timing needs to be impeccable. Thus, there's a great chance that what will ensue is a competitive bout between two of the best fighters in the lightweight division with neither mixed martial artist getting finished.

Instead, it's possible that fans will be treated to a back-and-forth affair. Both fighters will have big moments during the bout, but only one of them will emerge as the victor in a hotly contested bout that could split the judges.