Charles Oliveira has been chosen to face Ilia Topuria this summer over another top contender.
It comes as the MMA world is currently abuzz following some major announcements from UFC CEO Dana White. Perhaps the biggest surrounds the status of the lightweight title picture, with Islam Makhachev set to vacate the throne.
As the Dagestani fighter gears up for his shot at two-division glory opposite newly crowned UFC welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena, a new king must be crowned at 155 pounds.
Battling for the right to be Makhachev’s successor will be Oliveira and Topuria. But that’s not the pairing one former MMA champion would have put together for the UFC 317 main event.
- READ MORE: Ilia Topuria recorded seven straight submission wins years before facing Charles Oliveira at UFC 317
Josh Thomson says Arman Tsarukyan vs Ilia Topuria was the right fight, not Charles Oliveira
Speaking with former referee John McCarthy during the latest episode of their Weighing In podcast, ex-UFC contender and Strikeforce titleholder Josh Thomson gave his assessment of the key happenings in his former division.
Interestingly, ‘The Punk’ does not consider Oliveira to be the most deserving contender for the next lightweight title fight. Instead, he pointed to Arman Tsarukyan as the more logical selection.
“This is what I want to know — how did you end up with Charles and not Arman Tsarukyan?! He’s the number one contender,” Thomson said.
When McCarthy suggested that Tsarukyan’s last-second withdrawal from UFC 311 in January eliminated him from the equation, Thomson countered that Makhachev’s departure from the division should make that null and void.
“I can understand them [UFC] being upset…but now that Islam is gone, that fight has disappeared. He’s still the number one contender. Ilia coming up, guaranteed or promised the title shot. I just want to see the two guys from Georgia fight!”
Arman Tsarukyan expressed frustration over Charles Oliveira’s stance on UFC rematch
While Oliveira and Topuria have their upcoming assignment set, Tsarukyan’s next step in the UFC remains unclear.
The promotion made it clear that the Georgia-born Armenian must re-earn a championship opportunity following the injury he sustained in Los Angeles earlier this year. Finding an opponent, however, has seemingly been a challenge for Tsarukyan.
The 28-year-old took to social media a few months back to blast both Oliveira and Justin Gaethje for their apparent reluctance to face him.
More recently, Tsarukyan has adjusted his hostile aim onto the charging Paddy Pimblett, promising to obliterate the Scouser should they meet in the cage down the line in a post on X.