2. Charles Oliveira vs Islam Makhachev
They say do not count your chickens before they hatch, but how can you not when you know you might have a golden goose?
Firstly, Charles Oliveira vs Justin Gaethje and Islam Makhachev vs Beneil Dariush are perfectly exciting and highly anticipated fights in their own right. Both feature elite level talents and both will establish the winners in even greater standing not only in the division but pound-for-pound overall.
That said, it’s difficult not to look ahead to a potential match-up in late 2022. For one, Oliveira, should he win the expected Gaethje fight, would be on an eleven fight win-streak with an unprecedented run that has seen him best the likes of Tony Ferguson, Michael Chandler, Dustin Poirier, and Gaethje. Makhachev would be on his heels with ten consecutive victories of his own and with wins over ranked opponents in Dan Hooker and Dariush.
Most importantly, there is the appeal that Makhachev has been named the heir to the lightweight crown by his teammate and pound-for-pound legend Khabib Nurmagomedov. Looking past the obvious bias of the former champion, it can’t be denied that the similarities in style and background of Makhachev compared to Nurmagomedov make this fight one of the most intriguing bouts that can be made in the lightweight division.
Would an Oliveira victory be enough to coerce Nurmagomedov himself to come back? Most likely not. But the fact that it even feels like a possibility should tell you everything you need to know about how big the fight is.
