With the lightweight division being one of the most stacked in the UFC, Charles Oliveira has experience with both Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier. Oliveira has his work cut out for him when he faces the 16-0 sensation, Ilia Topuria, for the vacant Lightweight Championship at UFC 317 in late June. Just a few weeks later, Dustin Poirier will walk into the octagon for the final time in an attempt to beat Max Holloway and win the BMF Title.
Charles Oliveira Predicts a Dustin Poirier Win
Having been with the UFC since 2010, Oliveira has seen the best of the best compete in the Octagon. Sure, he’s lost two of his last four fights, but he’s undeniably one of the best lightweights in the world and is only losing to the best of the best. Arman Tsarukyan snuck by Oliveira for a split decision win, improving his record to 22-3. Islam Makhachev also made Oliveira tap out, marking the first time he was submitted since 2016.
Charles Oliveira predicts Dustin Poirier to beat Max Holloway in the BMF trilogy:
“Dustin Poirier is a guy that I have huge respect for. For me, of all the guys I’ve fought, he’s the one with the sharpest boxing.” pic.twitter.com/lXzdiBR479
— Full Violence ™ (@Full_Violence)
With experience against both Holloway and Poirier, Oliveira shared his thoughts on the trilogy fight, “When I fought Holloway, I didn’t have the chance to fight because it was too fast, because I had an injury. I think Holloway is a guy who moves a lot, who catches. But man, Dustin Poirier is a guy that I have huge respect for.”
Oliveira added, “For me, of all the guys I’ve fought, he’s the one with the sharpest boxing. He fights more consciously; he has a very heavy hand, he knows how to play the game, he will fight at home practically, so I think Poirier wins.”
On December 11, 2021, Oliveira successfully defended his Lightweight Championship for the first time over Poirier, making him submit in the third round. That fight is clearly a huge factor in why he respects “Diamond” as much as he does. “I think he will fight very consciously, very smart to become champion. It’s his last fight, it’s his retirement, so he will fight much more consciously than he has ever fought.”
With the fight taking place in Louisiana, there’s no better way for Poirier to go out. He’s given UFC fans some of the best moments and most memorable fights in the last decade, so potentially winning the BMF title in his last fight would be yet another straw in his cap. Poirier is the epitome of a BMF fighter, and having beaten Holloway in 2012 and 2019, he’ll look to replicate those wins once more.