LAS VEGAS – Former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira prefers to let his fighting do the talking.
Oliveira (34-9 MMA, 22-9 UFC) meets Arman Tsarukyan (21-3 MMA, 8-2 UFC) on Saturday at UFC 300 (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+) from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Tsarukyan had some choice words for Oliveira, alluding to him being one dimensional. Tsarukyan explained that it’s nothing personal, he’s simply trying to hype up the fight because Oliveira won’t.
“I’ve got to talk about him because he doesn’t talk about me,” Tsarukyan told MMA Junkie and other reporters at Wednesday’s media day. “I want to get people to watch this fight more. That’s why I’ve got to say something about him. I’m just trying to get more fans to watch this fight.”
Oliveira was asked about Tsarukyan’s comments when he took the podium Wednesday, and he wasn’t interested in any back-and-forth.
“Some people sell the fight in a different way. Some people are going to say things, and it doesn’t matter,” Oliveira said through an interpreter. “I sell the fight in just one way: When that door closes, I’m a lion hunting. That’s what I do. That’s my style of selling a fight.”
Oliveira isn’t wrong. He is the UFC’s all-time leader in finishes – including stoppage wins over Michael Chandler, Justin Gaethje, Dustin Poirier, and Beneil Dariush. With a win over Tsarukyan, Oliveira expects to emerge as the No. 1 contender to reclaim gold.
“Dana even said it, that I’m next in line,” Oliveira said. “Then I got injured. Then Islam allegedly is injured, as well. A lot of people are going to say things, but let’s wait. Let’s take one thing at a time. Let’s get this one on Saturday and then we’ll talk about it.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 300.
