![Ali Abdelaziz (left); Charles Oliveira and Dustin Poirier (right) [Photo via @aliabdelaziz & @ufc on IG]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2021/10/2cccd-16342834968588-1920.jpg)
![Ali Abdelaziz (left); Charles Oliveira and Dustin Poirier (right) [Photo via @aliabdelaziz & @ufc on IG]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http%3A//www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns%3Axlink='http%3A//www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20viewBox='0%200%2010%206.25'%3E%3Cfilter%20id='b'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20stdDeviation='.5'%3E%3C/feGaussianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20type='discrete'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20tableValues='1%201'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20filter='url(%23b)'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Ali Abdelaziz believes Dustin Poirier and Charles Oliveira are not the top two 155-pounders in the UFC.
Newly minted champion Oliveira will defend his lightweight title against Poirier in the main event of UFC 269 in December. However, according to Abdelaziz, the scheduled championship bout doesn't truly represent the cream of the crop of the division. In an interview with MMA Junkie's John Morgan, he said:
"I believe the two guys are fighting for the title right now – I respect Dustin [Poirier], I respect the champ – but they're not the best two guys. The best two guys are between Islam [Makhachev], Justin [Gaethje], and Beneil [Dariush]. The best two guys are not fighting for the title. The UFC has to do that because they're gonna have to erase the memory of Khabib [Nurmagomedov]. That's why they went to a [Michael] Chandler fight. I understand it; it's business. But these are not the best two guys fighting for the title."
Ali Abdelaziz's star client Khabib Nurmagomedov retired in October 2020 and relinquished the title. Several months later, Oliveira seized the vacant throne after defeating Michael Chandler at UFC 262.
The Dominance MMA CEO also suggested that the fighters most deserving of a lightweight title shot are Justin Gaethje, Islam Makhachev and Beneil Dariush. It goes without saying, however, that Abdelaziz's views could be biased. After all, the three fighters he mentioned are his clients.
Check out Ali Abdelaziz's full interview below:
Ali Abdelaziz says Justin Gaethje will be next title challenger
Out of all his clients, Ali Abdelaziz believes Justin Gaethje is the most deserving of the title shot. According to Abdelaziz, 'The Highlight' will get another chance if he can get past Michael Chandler at UFC 268. He added:
"Listen, if Justin Gaethje wins, he's fighting for the title. If anything for crazy reason happens, it has to be Beneil or Islam. At the end of the day, all those guys are gonna fight each other. All those guys will fight for the title but if Justin Gaethje wins – that's what I'm being told – he's gonna fight for the title."
