Fact Check: Is Charles Oliveira Replacing Conor McGregor at UFC 303? Coach breaks silence on rumors

Two-division UFC champion Conor McGregorThe highly anticipated return to the Octagon is surrounded by uncertainty. Cancellation rumors are swirling around UFC 303, leaving the fate of the fight and the careers of McGregor and his No. 6 ranked lightweight opponent. Michael Chandlerat stake. Chandler has trained tirelessly for this showdown, but rumors about McGregor’s potential injury threaten to derail the entire event.

Adding another layer to the drama, reports surfaced on MMA Instagram pages @Knockoutalerts, suggesting the former UFC lightweight champion. Charles Oliveira as a last-minute replacement if a UFC champion is needed to headline UFC 303. This article will look into the legitimacy of the rumors surrounding Oliveira’s potential involvement in the event.

According to a report from new MMA outlet @ChampRDS, Charles Oliveira’s head coach Diego Lima says there is “absolutely nothing” regarding talk of Oliveira’s short notice fight against Michael Chandler at UFC 303. This statement quashes previous reports suggesting Oliveira would step in to fight Chandler at UFC 303.

Meanwhile, Charles Oliveira’s recent run has been a rollercoaster. A nasty cut above his eye sidelined him from his October 2023 rematch with Islam Makhachev, halting his momentum. After a long break, he finally returned to the Octagon at UFC 300, but unfortunately came up short in a close split decision loss to Arman Tsarukyan. This led to a surprising turn of events: an invitation to train with Makhachev’s camp. It appears Makhachev recognizes Oliveira’s talent, evident in his impressive 11-fight winning streak.

Charles Oliveira declines Dagestan offer

At the UFC 302 media day, before successfully defending his lightweight title belt for the third time against former interim lightweight champion, Dustin Poirier at UFC 302 himself, Islam Makhachev offered to help Oliveira hone his skills, but “Do Bronx” politely declined.

By the way, not everyone knows this, but the all-around fighter Oliveira is famous for his loyalty to his gym, Chute Boxe. Although grateful for Makhachev’s invitation to train together in Dagestan, Oliveira politely declined. He explained that he is thriving in his current training environment and remains dedicated to his team. Additionally, he even complimented Makhachev’s performance against Poirier and his successful title defense.

“I am grateful for the kindness of Islam in inviting me to train,Oliveira told BandSport.I’m just a part of Chute Boxe. I have no intention of training anywhere else. I’m happy with everything he said. He had a great fight at UFC 302 and showed that he was the champion.“It’s no secret that Islam and Charles Oliveira have a good relationship, even after Islam Makhachev’s victory over Oliveira at UFC 280 in 2022. In fact, Oliveira chose Islam to beat Dustin Poirier and s I expect Makhachev to stay in the lightweight division for a long time.

With rumors swirling around Conor McGregor withdrawing from UFC 303 and Charles Oliveira’s trainer cutting off any chance of a last-minute fight, who would you like to see step up and take on Michael Chandler? Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments!