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Reigning UFC lightweight kingpin Islam Makhachev has weighed in on Charles Oliveira's potential title shot-securing victory at tonight's UFC 289 event.
Oliviera faced Beneil Dariush in a highly anticipated lightweight bout. The fight served as the UFC 289 co-headliner and witnessed 'do Bronx' defeat Dariush via first-round TKO.
Heading into the showdown, former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira held the No. 1 position whereas Beneil Dariush stood at the No. 4 spot in the official lightweight rankings. 'Benny' entered the matchup on an eight-fight win streak. Many believed that he could earn a title shot against UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev by beating Oliveira.
Regardless, Oliveira snapped Dariush's win streak and took him out of the title picture for the time being with a thunderous knockout at UFC 289. The former champion has received widespread praise from fans and experts alike in the immediate aftermath of his epic win.
Regardless, Oliveira's former opponent Islam Makhachev alluded to the fact that he recently beat the veteran Brazilian fighter. Makhachev defeated Oliveira via second-round submission to capture the UFC lightweight title in October 2022.
Subtly referencing the same, the Dagestani fighter took aim at 'do Bronx' and suggested that there are levels to the sport of MMA. Makhachev tweeted:
"Congrats Charles. But still there’s levels in this game"
Check out the tweet below:
Could the Charles Oliveira knockout at UFC 289 land him the next UFC lightweight title shot?
The Charles Oliveira vs. Beneil Dariush matchup started with Dariush having success with leg kicks. However, the momentum shifted swiftly, courtesy of a head kick from Oliveira. Oliveira later pulled guard and tried to hurt Dariush with strikes from the bottom and even a heel hook submission attempt.
Beneil Dariush fired back with strikes from the top position, and the two fighters eventually made their way back to their feet. The stand-up battle didn't last long, however, as Oliveira rocked his opponent with a head kick. This time around, the head kick sent Dariush reeling. Oliveira followed up with several punches and ground strikes to secure the TKO victory.
While Charles Oliveira did manage to make a statement by beating a fellow elite fighter like Beneil Dariush, it remains to be seen whether the UFC give him a title shot against current UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev.
The fact remains that Makhachev beat Oliveira last year, and the latter has just returned to the win column. Moreover, it's likely that the winner of the upcoming BMF title fight between Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje at UFC 291 on 29 July 2023, could possibly fight Makhachev for the title next. Therefore, Oliveira might have to wait for a title shot or perhaps even take another fight in the meantime.
