Despite never reaching the summit of the pound-for-pound (P4P) rankings himself, Charles Oliveira is convinced that one specific fighter from UFC 320 rightfully deserves the top spot on that list right now.
This weekend, Charles Oliveira puts his future title aspirations on the line as he returns to the octagon just over 100 days after his brutal knockout loss to Ilia Topuria in their lightweight championship bout earlier this summer.
Back on home soil to headline UFC Rio, the former lightweight kingpin Oliveira is set to face Mateusz Gamrot in a re-arranged main event clash.
However, inspired by the recent success of his compatriot Alex Pereira, the São Paulo megastar Oliveira feels that another victor from last week`s UFC 320 event has been unfairly overlooked.
Charles Oliveira Crowns Merab Dvalishvili as UFC`s Current Top Fighter
Although Oliveira`s countryman, Alex Pereira, made a significant jump in the P4P rankings following his knockout win over Magomed Ankalaev, he has yet to claim the top position.
Nevertheless, according to the promotion`s most prolific submission artist and outright finisher, UFC 320 co-main event participant Merab Dvalishvili is the legitimate holder of the number one ranking among all active fighters.
“The guy who has been doing a great job out there, who I really like to watch is Merab (Dvalishvili),” Oliveira stated to TNT Sports when asked to name the best UFC fighter in the promotion today.
During the same Q&A session, Oliveira also boldly proclaimed himself the greatest Brazilian fighter to ever compete in the Octagon and proudly stated he holds the best submission victory in history, referencing his memorable finish from years past.
Merab Dvalishvili Eyed for Potential Clash Against Former P4P Leader
Following his dominant win over title contender Cory Sandhagen last weekend, Dvalishvili has been vocal about his desire to fight again as early as December.
While Merab Dvalishvili has been linked with several bantamweight title defenses in an effort to set a new divisional record, and has been mentioned as a potential opponent for both Umar Nurmagomedov and Petr Yan,
his head coach has hinted at a possible super-fight in a higher division against a former pound-for-pound pacesetter in the near future.
