Former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira did not want to fight top contender Islam Makhachev for the 155-pound strap, so “Do Bronx” instead asked for alternate fights against Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz and when that didn’t work, he tried to negotiate a bigger paycheck.
That’s according to a conversation Makhachev had on the “DC & RC” show.
“For me, this is embarrassing when UFC lightweight champion asks (for) someone like Nate Diaz or Conor McGregor,” Makhachev said (transcribed by Farah Hannoun). “Conor McGregor, who won five years ago – nobody remembers when these guys win some fights. He tried to go Diaz or McGregor, but he forgot my name. And when they asked about me, he said he needs money or something like this, but when he fought Dustin (Poirier) or Justin Gaethje, he didn’t think about money. He said, ‘Islam has to fight one more time,’ or something like this. But the UFC told him, ‘Hey, if you (don’t) take this fight, we’re going to give some chance to Michael Chandler.’ That’s why he take this fight.”
Chandler fell to Oliveira by way of knockout back in May 2021.
Regardless of how the fight came together, Oliveira and Makhachev will collide for the vacant lightweight strap — stripped in the wake of this debacle — atop the UFC 280 pay-per-view (PPV) event, recently made official for Sat., Oct. 22, 2022 inside Etihad Arena on “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
woulda been hilarious…hey Islam, we cant get oliveira but here, fight the guy that he decapitated
Imagine working somewhere you were treated like that.
Oliveira wants to make money. The buy rates for the fight with Makhachev will be terrible. First, it’s a day time card in the U.S. Automatically you have a low buy rate. Add to that that Makhachev is an unknown. Nate or Connor would earn much more money.
Like what? Who are we talking about? Oliveira? Guaranteed he gets treated better than 99% of the people working in the US, Brazil and around the world.
He isnt the champ. He isnt owed PPV shares so he cant be worried about that. I think there are 3 non champions who get PPV shares in their contracts and Charles isnt one of them? I think Charles was offered PPV shares for this fight in Abu Dhabi as enticement for the fight. So I’ve read.
See Thread on NEW Brazil Dealy I posted
Like, “we’ll find someone that can do it cheaper” because I guarantee it was about money.
This, Islam isnt going to sell any fight and Charles is about to show everyone how overated Islam is, he just won’t make much money doing it.