HOUSTON, TEXAS – MAY 15: Charles Oliveira of Brazil looks on during his Championship Lightweight Bout against Michael Chandler at the UFC 262 event at Toyota Center on May 15, 2021 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
Charles Oliveira is out of his bout against Beneil Dariush for UFC 288 on May 6 due to an undisclosed injury. Per ESPN, the promotion has postponed the bout rather than book another opponent for Dariush. Reports say that the UFC is looking at a new date for the highly anticipated lightweight bout.
The postponement of the #1 vs. #4 ranked lightweights is not only a loss for the fans. It could also mean the champion Islam Makhachev will have to wait longer for his next challenger.
For many fans, Dariush vs Oliveira was the ultimate title eliminator in many ways. Oliveria had one of the most dominant runs in the UFC until UFC 280. After winning the title against Michael Chandler, he defended it against top lightweights like Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje. Furthermore, the Brazilian finished his opponents in a dominant fashion to assert his reign.
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via Getty HOUSTON, TEXAS – MAY 15:Charles Oliveira of Brazil gestures to the crowd before facing Michael Chandler during their Championship Lightweight Bout at the UFC 262 event at Toyota Center on May 15, 2021 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
‘Do Bronx’ was on an 11-fight win streak before losing his title to Makhachev. In comparison, Dariush is now on an 8-fight win streak. The 33-year-old has wins over the likes of Tony Ferguson and Mateusz Gamrot. Many fans believed Dariush should have gotten the title shot instead of going through Oliveira.
Hence, Oliveira vs. Dariush would have solved a lot of these conundrums. A win against the #1 ranked Oliveira would make Dariush the undeniable challenger to the title. As for Oliveira, a win over a top 5 ranked fighter like Darisuh could have earned him another shot at the title.
Fans react to Charles Oliveira vs. Beneil Dariush postponement
The news of Charles Oliveira vs. Beneil Dariush getting postponed was heartbreaking for many fans. However, they were not short of suggestions for the UFC on how to proceed with the situation.
Many of them thought Dariush should get a title shot if this fight did not go through. Some others suggested that he fight Dustin Poirier or Justin Gaethje on the same date instead.
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Following are some of their reactions:
Just give Beneil a title shot
Man, Beneil can’t catch a break 😭
No need to reschedule this. Dariush vs Islam is the fight.
Call Gaethje right now
Give Beneil the title shot then. He deserves it
Just give Benny Islam then, he’s more than earned it
Dustin step in there
Dariush would’ve retired him anyways
Islam really made this guy not want to fight anymore
As of now, the fight does not have a new date. There are no reports of Dariush getting a fresh opponent either.
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What are your reactions to the Oliveria injury news? How would you like the UFC to proceed here? Let us know in the comments.