Anthony Smith has often heaped praise on Charles Oliveira since “Do Bronx” became the best lightweight in the UFC, but continuously found himself picking Oliveira’s opponents when it came time to make actual predictions for his fights.
He did it when Oliveira fought Michael Chandler for the vacant UFC lightweight title. He did it again when Oliveira defended the belt against Dustin Poirier and then went three for three after picking Justin Gaethje to beat Oliveira in his most recent outing.
Now, with Oliveira scheduled to face Islam Makhachev in the UFC 280 main event — a matchup between the No. 1 and No. 3 lightweights, respectively, in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings — Smith admits he’s done doubting the Brazilian.
“I’m not going to do it anymore,” Smith said with a laugh on The Fighter vs. The Writer. “I always, always, I don’t want to say discredit, but I always doubt Charles Oliveira. Then afterwards I tell myself why do you do that? Cause I have a lot of respect for that guy but even going into the Poirier fight, well Poirier’s kind of the uncrowned champion here and I believe in Charles Oliveira but I think Poirier gets this done. I did the same thing with Chandler. I’m not doing it anymore.
“His last three or four opponents, they knock him down and nobody goes to grappling,” Makhachev said in an interview with The National. “Nobody tried to finish him there. Nobody tried to do some ground-and-pound. That’s why nobody from these opponents could stop him.
“But I’m not scared of his jiu-jitsu skills because I have good skills in Sambo and grappling and will give him a hard time in striking. That’s why I’m going to knock him down and try to finish him. Because this guy has most finishes in the UFC, my goal is I have to finish him. I’m going to take his record.”
American Kickboxing Academy head coach Javier Mendez hailed Makhachev’s striking and called him the most well-rounded lightweight of all time. But Oliveira was able to knock out Michael Chandler, and dropped Justin Gaethje before he submitted him to show he’s not just a threat on the ground.
Makhachev may be brimming with confidence at his own ability, but he acknowledged Oliveira is heading into their fight with an invincible aura.
“Charles is very dangerous,” Makhachev said. “He always finishes his opponent, and he’s dangerous in the striking and on the ground. But I believe in my skills. I’m ready for the fight standing up or on the ground – it doesn’t matter.
“I don’t think this is the biggest test (of my career). Maybe I’ve beat some guy who has more skills. But right now, he’s the champion. And, right now, at this moment in his career, because he has a good win streak – he had many losses before and he finished all his opponents – he feels like nobody can stop him. But Oct. 22, I’m going to come to the cage and stop him there.”
