Charles Oliveira expects 155lb title shot after UFC 335: ‘I sell a lot more than Arman Tsarukyan’

Charles Oliveira believes star power could play a role in who gets the next lightweight title shot.

Justin Gaethje captured the 155lb belt by stopping Ilia Topuria at UFC Freedom 250 earlier this year.

Several top contenders in the division are currently vying to fight ‘The Highlight’ for MMA’s greatest prize in 2027.

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Why Charles Oliveira thinks he’s next in line at lightweight

Charles Oliveira is booked to defend his BMF belt against Diego Lopes in the main event of UFC 335 on December 12.

‘Do Brox’ believes increasing his win streak to three in a row will earn him the next crack at Justin Gaethje, whom he submitted in three minutes when they fought in May 2022.

The Brazilian fan favorite insists that selling power is what separates him from the other top lightweight contender, Arman Tsarukyan.

”I think Arman is there to fight for the title,” Oliveira told MMA Fighting.

“However, if we’re going to talk about name value, what do I think?

“I think I sell a lot more than Arman. So I could move ahead of Arman.”

Gaethje has talked about retiring from MMA in the months after his career-defining fight at the White House.

Oliveira welcomes a potential rematch with Tsarukyan, if the lightweight king chooses to walk away while he’s on top.

“There’s this thing with Gaethje, that he could retire,” he added. “If he retires, there’s no other path to take. After this fight, it would definitely be me and Arman fighting for the title. So, in reality, without a shadow of a doubt, we’re waiting on a guy who needs to decide his next step.

“If I win this fight, I would definitely be next in line, regardless of whether Gaethje comes back or not, because that would be a very big fight that sells really well.

“I think Justin Gaethje needs to see what the path is, whether he’s going to fight or not, whether he’s going to retire, so we can understand what the next step is.”