Charles Oliveira has not competed in the featherweight division since 2015, but he says he can still make the weight and is open to a run at the 145-pound title.
First, Oliveira is set to square off with Max Holloway for the BMF championship on March 7th at UFC 326, but he feels like he will have plenty of tread left on the tires following that match to make division changes in his career. In fact, the first time Oliveira and Holloway met, back in 2015 at UFC Fight Night 74, was a fight contracted at 145-pounds. But they didn’t share enough time in the octagon together to put on a show, as Oliveira suffered an injury to his shoulder less than two minutes in.
Despite being open to a move down to featherweight, he expressed that his focus is the BMF belt, followed by another chance at the lightweight title. From there, it seems he will weigh his options. Many have already reacted to the possibility of Oliveira moving down as a bad idea, given his inability to make the cut on the scales for several fights in his career.
Charles Oliveira weighed in at 155lbs for a Featherweight fight. Here is his record against the scale: pic.twitter.com/y8byfmKYwC
ā Bloody Elbow (@BloodyElbow) November 4, 2016
āI think I can still make 145,ā Oliveira said. āIf itās for the titleā¦ I donāt know if it was a dream I just had or something from my imagination. I win the [BMF] belt now, I fight for the [lightweight] title at the end of the year, then I give up both titles and drop to 145 to fight for that belt. But I donāt know if I was dreaming or just going crazy. I donāt know. Weāll see.ā
(h/t MMA Fighting)