Charles Oliveira has called for a rematch with Justin Gaethje, saying he wants the opportunity to challenge for the UFC lightweight title and believes their history makes the matchup an ideal story for the promotion.
Oliveira submitted Gaethje in May 2022 in what was scheduled to be Oliveira’s first lightweight title defense. However, Oliveira missed weight ahead of the bout and was stripped of the championship before entering the Octagon. He went on to defeat Gaethje by first-round submission.
Oliveira has since added the BMF title to his résumé earlier this year, while Gaethje captured the undisputed lightweight championship by defeating Ilia Topuria at the White House earlier this summer.
Speaking to Olhar da Luta earlier today, Oliveira made it clear that his focus is on moving forward and earning another shot at the lightweight title.
“With all due respect, I'm not looking backward. I'm looking forward. I want to fight for the title. That's what I'm focused on,” Oliveira said.
The former champion also pointed to the circumstances surrounding their first meeting and suggested the UFC has an obvious storyline available if it books a rematch.
“The UFC likes a story... I was robbed [in our first fight]. They wanted to distract me so I would go in there, have a sh*tty fight, and they could crown him champion,” Oliveira said. “He felt my hands, I dropped him and then I submitted him. There's a story there.”
Oliveira has no preference about where the rematch takes place, insisting he would be willing to fight Gaethje anywhere in the world.
“And now he's the champion. I have no problem with that. The rematch doesn't need to be in Brazil. Just like I went to his home turf before, it can be in his backyard, it can be in Las Vegas, on the street corner, in Japan, anywhere in the world,” Oliveira said. “I just need one phone call telling me the date and time.”
“So if the UFC wants a story, what bigger story is there than that?”
Oliveira also appeared willing to put his BMF championship on the line alongside Gaethje’s lightweight title, taking the idea even further after fans pointed out that the matchup could involve three belts given Gaethje’s recent history.
“There’s nowhere to run, and another thing, I said two [belts] and the internet went ‘not two it’s three! It’s the White House, the lightweight and the BMF.’ So okay, so put all three [on the line], there’s no problem at all.”
For now, Oliveira’s call sets the stage for a potential rematch between two of the lightweight division’s most recognizable veterans, with the Brazilian making it clear that he is ready to accept the fight whenever the UFC makes the call.
