Oliveira demands UFC clarity on Gaethje's future before chasing lightweight title

Charles Oliveira has called on the UFC to resolve Justin Gaethje’s uncertain future, insisting the promotion must establish whether the lightweight champion intends to fight before a title shot can be assigned — with Oliveira himself eyeing the queue after UFC 335.

Oliveira is scheduled to defend his BMF title against Diego Lopes on 12 December at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Speaking ahead of that bout, the former UFC lightweight champion made clear he believes a victory over Lopes would put his name firmly at the front of the contender line.

“The first step is for the UFC to sit down with Gaethje and find out exactly what he plans to do,” Oliveira told Sherdog’s Marcelo Alonso. “He says he won’t fight this year, but that he would if it were against Conor. Then he starts talking about retirement. If I get past Diego, I think my name carries weight, and I believe I’ll be next in line for a shot at the undisputed title.”

Gaethje, who lost his first lightweight title reign to Oliveira before reclaiming the belt, has publicly floated both retirement and a potential superfight against Conor McGregor — leaving the division’s immediate future in limbo.

Oliveira also acknowledged that Arman Tsarukyan holds a legitimate claim to a title shot and outlined how he sees the picture unfolding depending on Gaethje’s decision. “Obviously, Arman deserves it too,” he said. “But I think the first step is for the UFC to find out whether Gaethje is retiring or continuing to fight. If he doesn’t retire, it could be Arman or me against Gaethje. If he retires, then it’s me and Arman fighting for the vacant title.”

Oliveira also pushed back against criticism that his grappling-dominant win over Max Holloway — the performance that earned him the BMF belt — was unbecoming of that title’s swashbuckling spirit. The Brazilian was unapologetic, arguing that no fighter had neutralised Holloway as completely as he did.

“Anyone who truly understands fighting, with all due respect to Max, knows that what I did to him is something no other fighter has done,” Oliveira said. “I completely neutralised his game. So, I don’t care what people say. At the end of the day, all I care about is whether my Sherdog record shows a win or a loss. I’m fighting more strategically, with greater awareness and without doing anything crazy.”

With Gaethje’s intentions still unclear and Tsarukyan waiting in the wings, the UFC’s lightweight division faces a defining few months — and Oliveira intends to make himself impossible to ignore when the dust settles in Las Vegas on 12 December.