Bloodyelbow.com
Submission specialist Charles Oliveira would welcome a better challenge should he defeat rising prospect David Teymur at UFC Fortaleza. Currently on a three-fight winning streak, the Brazilian told Combate he would never turn down a fight, but thinks he has done enough to warrant a top-5 challenge next.
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With submission wins over Clay Guida, Christos Giagos and Jim Miller in his last three appearances, Oliveira wants to get closer to a title shot and not keep on fighting unranked opponents.
“I just want Dana White to give me an opportunity to fight guys who are closer to the title. I deserve a top-5 name,” Oliveira said. “There’s a lot of people wanting, asking to fight me, but they’re not even ranked. I never turned down a fight, but if I could choose, I’d like someone in the top-5.”
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Undefeated in the Octagon, David Teymur is on a five-fight winning streak and has yet to be submitted in his nine-fight career. For Oliveira, however, the numbers matter too little since he believes he will score yet another win on Saturday night.
“He’s a promising guy, he keeps on winning,” Oliveira said. “People say he’s really tough, but I’ve fought tough guys before. I’m more concerned about what I’ll bring to him, a happy Charles, who walks forward. Of course we know he has good takedown defense, he has great stand-up, but I have great jiu-jitsu and I’ve been improving my striking, I’m as well-rounded as ever. We keep on training, I focused on my striking, my jiu-jitsu, my conditioning and all of that is making a big difference. Make no mistake, you’ll Charles do Bronx score another win on February 2.”
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Charles Oliveira will take on David Teymur on the main card of UFC Fight Night 144, in Fortaleza, Brazil, on February 2. The ESPN+ event will be headlined by a bantamweight bout between contenders Raphael Assuncao and Marlon Moraes.
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