Charles Oliveira has unfinished business with UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev. Oliveira firmly re-entered the title picture by stopping Beneil Dariush, the lightweight contender with the longest active win streak, inside one round at UFC 289 in Vancouver on Saturday.
“Who is the champion?” Oliveira beckoned as the Vancouver crowd roared his name.
Oliveira alluded to the fight’s finish from the very beginning. “Do Bronx” cracked Dariush with a hard head kick as soon as the fight started. Dariush ate it well and took over the round by walloping on his opponent in top position. Once the fight returned to the feet, Oliveira launched the same kick at his foe. Dariush partially blocked it but the impact was too severe. Oliveira wobbled Dariush with a follow-up punch and knocked him just short of unconscious with hammer fists.
Oliveira reiterated post-fight that his poor performance against Makhachev at UFC 280 was only an anomaly as he demanded a title rematch. Makhachev applauded Oliveira’s performance on Twitter but warned the former champion that “there’s levels to this game.”
The loss will be a difficult one for Dariush to swallow. He was in rare form on a career-best eight-fight winning streak. Dariush told the media this week that UFC president Dana White promised him a title shot should he beat Oliveira.
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