Former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira will face Beneil Dariush in his Octagon return at UFC 288.
Oliveira announced the booking on his Instagram page after Dariush said in recent weeks that he had agreed to the fight.
Oliveira returns after losing a vacant lightweight title matchup against Islam Makhachev at UFC 280. A win over Dariush could potentially earn him a rematch against Makhachev.
Before the loss to Makhachev, Oliveira was on a roll in the UFC’s lightweight division. He earned the belt by defeating Michael Chandler at UFC 262 before defending it against Dustin Poirier.
Oliveira missed weight ahead of his UFC 274 clash against Justin Gaethje, stripping him of the belt. He went on to defeat Gaethje via first-round submission.
Charles Oliveira/Beneil Dariush Set For Potential No. 1 Contender Bout
Oliveira will face a surging contender in Dariush, who has won eight fights in a row. He most recently defeated Mateusz Gamrot at UFC 280 via unanimous decision.
Dariush has been clamoring for a title shot for the past two years, after recent wins over Tony Ferguson and Gamrot. A win over Oliveira would likely earn himself a title shot next.
Makhachev could potentially rematch Alexander Volkanovski later this year, although nothing is formally in the works. He defeated Volkanovski via unanimous decision at UFC 284.
The Oliveira/Dariush news comes hours after Aljamain Sterling vs. Henry Cejudo was rumored for UFC 288. The venue and location for the May 6th pay-per-view card haven’t been announced.
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