Charles Oliveira says he deserves to be next in line for Justin Gaethje’s UFC lightweight title, pointing to the history between the two that includes Oliveira losing his belt on the scale before submitting Gaethje in Phoenix in 2022.
Oliveira spoke to MMA Fighting following Gaethje’s title win at UFC Freedom 250.
I made it very clear that I was waiting for the White House event to be over so we could figure out what the next step was. Now we know. The champion is Justin Gaethje, and I definitely want that fight. I definitely want to be next in line. And there’s nothing better than putting both belts on the line, the BMF title and the lightweight championship.
He elaborated on why the matchup carries particular weight given what happened in Arizona.
I’m just waiting for a phone call. They know there’s a lot at stake in this fight. There’s everything that happened with the weigh-in, the fact that I fought in his backyard and that my belt was taken from me there. There’s a lot of history behind this matchup. I have a lot of respect for him, just like I respect every opponent, but this fight has to happen.
Oliveira said he is open to waiting for a 2027 fight if Gaethje takes the rest of 2026 off, framing it as a title unification worth being patient for.
If it’s for a title unification fight, and the chance to make history once again, then why not stay on the sidelines for a while, stay focused, and know exactly when the fight is going to happen?
Gaethje recently said there is a “very, very small chance” he fights again in 2026 after going 2-0 this year. Arman Tsarukyan is widely regarded as the number one contender. Oliveira’s most recent victory was a decision over Max Holloway to claim the BMF title.