Charles Oliveira has been told that fighting Conor McGregor next would be a "scumbag move" by UFC legend Chael Sonnen.
The UFC lightweight champion just defended his title against Dustin Poirier at UFC 269 in Las Vegas, with the American earning his shot by beating McGregor twice earlier this year.
And despite the Dubliner being ranked at No.9 in the official lightweight standings and holding a 1-4 record in the last five years, there are strong discussions around him returning for a world title shot.
This would be seen as an insult to top contenders like Justin Gaethje and Islam Makhachev, but Oliveira has said it would be hard to turn down the possible payday that fighting McGregor would bring.
“Oliveira is saying things as far as, and I don’t feel confident in this, but he went as far as to say ‘step aside Justin Gaethje, bring in Conor McGregor, I want the money fight’," Sonnen said in a YouTube video.
"This is what Oliveira is saying, I don’t know how much of that is tongue in cheek and how much of it is true.
"I don’t look at Charles Oliveira as some witty guy that would go out and manipulate the media even in the form of a troll, so I’m taking him at his word."
And Sonnen, who is a former world title contender at middleweight and light heavyweight, says that taking the McGregor fight is a "scumbag move", given Oliveira's struggles for big fights over the year.
The Brazilian was often passed up for big fights on his way to the belt, and wasn't even the first choice for the vacant title fight against Michael Chandler which he won earlier this year.
Dustin Poirier had only won twice since losing his last world title effort, against Dan Hooker and McGregor, but was offered the bout instead of Oliveira.
However, he turned it down for a more lucrative trilogy bout with McGregor, which he won by TKO after the Irishman broke his leg during the fight.
“Now, that’s a scumbag move," Sonnen continued. "It’s a scumbag move because nobody would give him an opportunity because he doesn’t move the needle.
"He’s never been the money fight, which is what held him back for so long.
"So now that he’s gotten up in the loft, if he pulls the ladder up behind him, I’m going to look back at that and say ‘I don’t really like that’.”
McGregor is currently recovering from the broken leg he suffered against Poirier at UFC 264, and likely won't return until the summer of next year.
And it remains to be seen if he will actually get his wish of a title shot, having lost his last two fights against Poirier.
There are a number of options available to both he and Oliveira, with the lightweight division one of the most exciting in MMA.
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