While one could’ve argued Oliveira still deserved a shot at Makhachev, he put that on the line in accepting a fight few seemingly wanted when he lined up against Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 300. Tsarukyan had won seven of his last eight fights since making his debut against Makhachev back in April 2019, most recently knocking Dariush out in the first round of their main event bout in December 2023. The bout was deemed a title eliminator, and it was as competitive as anyone hoped. While Tsarukyan proved his quality and controlled much of the exchanges, Oliveira caught the Armenian in a pair of deep submission attempts late. Ultimately, the judges gave the split nod to Tsarukyan, but it wasn’t the clearest-cut result ever.
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Never one to rest on his laurels, Oliveira knew he needed to get back into the win column in a big way after Makhachev submitted Dustin Poirier in 2024’s Fight of the Year. That turned into a rematch with Michael Chandler at UFC 309 in New York City. It was a risky fight for Oliveira, as Chandler hadn’t fought since November 2022, when he lost to Poirier. The risk paid off, however, as Oliveira dominated Chandler for the majority of the five-round co-main event to cement his spot in the title picture.
His betting on himself reaped the biggest reward as Oliveira now takes on Topuria on June 28 in Las Vegas. Oddsmakers have Oliveira as a big underdog against the undefeated 28-year-old. While it’s somewhat understandable considering Topuria’s knockout wins over Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway in 2024, Oliveira has made meals out of being doubted. If he gets the job done, he’ll be the first two-time champion in the division’s history, which feels poetically fitting.
