Charles Oliveira proved he is in a league of his own after UFC 289 performance
Charles Oliveira defeated Beneil Dariush via TKO at UFC 289.
Even without a belt, Charles Oliveira proved he is in a league of his own. At UFC 289, Do Bronx made a statement with his first-round TKO victory over the surging Beneil Darisuh.
With both fighters' backgrounds, many expected a grapple-heavy bout. However, both men have power in their strikes, so the TKO finish is no surprise. One thing was certain-- this fight was not going the distance.
Still, it does not change how big of a wake-up call Oliveria making quick work of Dariush is. Dariush has been unbeaten in his last eight fights and on the upper echelon of one of the UFC's best divisions for a significant amount of time. But Oliveira made it his point to prove that he is not going anywhere.
What does his victory at UFC 289 do for Charles Oliveria's legacy?
We might be seeing the genesis of another title run. Weight misses aside, Oliveira's path to his first title and domination as the champion was a screenwriter's dream. After losing the title to Islam Makhachev in October, there couldn't have been a better bid for a championship rematch than his performance against Dariush. In doing so, Oliveria also cleansed his winless record in Canada.
The lightweight division's top 5 is filled with gladiators. Oliveria has defeated all four below him, with wins split between TKOs and submissions. Although Dustin Poirer and Justin Gaethje are scheduled to fight each other in July, and Michael Chandler is expected to welcome Conor McGregor back to the UFC, Oliveira gave these fighters another reason to stay busy, as he is still first in line to fight for gold.
If a rematch with Makhachev gets finalized, Oliveria could author a sequel to his previous story--one that ended in a loss. If he comes with the same hunger, composure, and preparation as he did against Dariush, then we have a rematch for the ages. But we can't discount the champion.
No matter how that fight ends, or If Oliveria retired today, his career and legacy are already something to write home about. However, at this point, he is not done building his legacy yet. Meanwhile, MMA fans wait in anticipation to see what he has in store.
Conor McGregor's net worth. dark. Next