Manager: Charles Oliveira targets summer return for Islam Makhachev rematch

Charles Oliveira wants another crack at Islam Makhachev and UFC lightweight gold, and he’s targeting International Fight Week this summer for the rematch.

Makhachev finished last-minute replacement Renato Moicano in quick fashion to defend his belt at UFC 311 this past Saturday in Los Angeles and later said he wants to be part of the pay-per-view show around June and July, a stretch Oliveira is currently campaigning for.

Oliveira’s manager and coach Diego Lima told MMA Fighting that “do Bronx” offered to be the backup fighter for Makhachev vs. Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 311, but the UFC told him to “rest” and just watch the bout from the front row. Moicano was already scheduled to compete on the card and got the late-notice call to replace Tsarukyan in the main event. Lima now sees the cards stacked in their favor.

“I believe the scenario remained pretty much the way we imagined and wanted, with Charles being the next contender,” Lima said. “Dana [White] said Arman will have to do another fight first, and there’s no point doing Arman and Charles in my opinion. Makhachev is our next challenge, but we know he’s the champion. We depend on him to know what our next step is.”

Oliveira lost a title fight to Makhachev in October 2022 and rebounded with a quick victory over Beneil Dariush in mid-2023. The Brazilian was slated to rematch Makhachev in October of that year, but was forced off the card with a cut. He returned in April 2024, losing a close split decision to Tsarukyan before getting back to the win column with a victory over Michael Chandler at UFC 309.

Makhachev’s manager Ali Abdelaziz took to social media social to say that “the UFC has a completely different plan for Islam which doesn’t include Oliveira, Arman or Ilia [Topuria],”, later citing Justin Gaethje and Dariush as options in case they defeat Dan Hooker and Dustin Poirier. Abdelaziz manages both Gaethje and Dariush.

“Every time you talk about Charles, his team say they have no interest, say we need to wait a little bit more and all that, because Charles brings more danger to Makhachev because he has good grappling,” Lima said. “‘But he lost the first fight.’ Cool, we lost, but I believe that any person that understands fighting knows how dangerous Charles is. If you blink, he catches you.

“Many people say that because they prefer to fight any other people but Charles, someone that brings less danger in a title fight. They’re defending their side. Charles is completely dangerous and unpredictable. If you blink, he catches you. Charles well-trained and motivated is a dangerous fight for anyone. That’s why they sometimes avoid him and say they want someone else because they know he’s a very dangerous fight in the division.”

Makhachev said after UFC 311 he has already cleaned out the division, and Lima has a plan B in mind in case the UFC and the lightweight champion ultimately chooses to go a different route.

“I spoke with Charles a lot and he told me, ‘Lima, I won’t want to wait a whole year. I want Makhachev in the middle of the year. I want the belt,’” Lima said. “But if Makhachev only fights in October, I don’t want to stay out for a year. I would like to be fighting [in the summer] against [Max] Holloway for the ‘BMF’ belt. To stay active, to fight for a belt, to put on a big fight I deserve, and then fight Makhachev. But if Makhachev really fights in July, that’s exactly what I want.”