Oliveira WILL let McGregor skip queue for title shot if UFC allow it
‘I’ll wait for him in May… the world wants to see that fight’: Charles Oliveira WILL let Conor McGregor skip the queue for title shot if the UFC risks uproar from Justin Gaethje and top contenders by allowing fight
- Charles Oliveira defended his lightweight title against Dustin Poirier
- Justin Gaethje is the No 1 contender having beaten Michael Chandler
- Conor McGregor believes he could jump the queue and get instant title shot
- And Brazilian is keen on facing him, saying ‘the world wants to see that fight’
Charles Oliveira would be willing to let Conor McGregor jump the queue for a lightweight title shot after the Irishman comes back from his broken leg.
Justin Gaethje, the No 1 contender, recently said he will ‘burn it all down’ if ‘irrelevant’ McGregor is given a free pass to fight for the title next despite not winning in the division since 2016.
But the champion cares little for the line-up of contenders and is excited at the prospect of facing McGregor.
Charles Oliveira defended his lightweight title against Dustin Poirier (bottom) this month
Conor McGregor is pushing for a title shot despite not winning at lightweight since 2016
He told Sherdog: ‘May would be a wonderful date. Conor challenged me asking a date, and tweeted Ireland vs. Brazil 2.
‘Not only him, but also myself and all the world wants to see that fight. So let’s make it happen. I’m waiting for him in May.
‘It may be in welterweight, lightweight or middleweight, with my title on the line or not. Just choose and I’ll be ready.
McGregor is expected to be back in full sparring by April having broken his tibia in the trilogy fight with Poirier.
And although Dana White accepts that Gaethje is next in line for an opportunity, he refused to shut down the possibility of McGregor being parachuted right back in for a title shot.
He told ESPN: ‘The thing I’ve been saying about him and I’ll always say about him is the guy has plenty of money, but he still is super passionate about fighting.
‘He’s fired up to come back and he’s out there doing everything he needs to do to get himself ready to perform again.
‘He’s telling me this, and you can see it in all of his [social media] posts and the way he’s acting.
‘If everything goes right with the healing of his leg, he’ll be back this summer. I have no idea what the landscape is going to look like by the time he comes back.
White went on: ‘Poirier could be retired by the time McGregor comes back. I don’t know [if he could fight for the title right away when he comes back].’
McGregor is still recovering from a broken leg in the third Dustin Poirier fight
Oliveira is not sure what to make of Gaethje, who is the front-runner to face him having beaten Michael Chandler last month.
He went on: ‘Gaethje was knocked out by Poirier, who I just submitted. He was almost knocked out by Chandler, who I beat via TKO.
‘But I’m a UFC employee. If they choose that I should fight Gaethje next, I’ll be ready too.
‘To tell you the truth, I couldn’t understand his posture. He said a lot of bull**** about me, but when he faced me he said I deserve all the respect, that I was a real champion.
‘A few minutes later told he the press that he would [break my face]. To tell you the truth, I really don’t care about all this drama.’
Oliveira has looked sensational in recent years and submitted Poirier with relative ease
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