4 Best UFC Opponents for Charles Oliveira's Next Fight

If you thought Charles Oliveira was done, think again.

The former lightweight champion was back in action in the main event of the UFC's Saturday night stop in his hometown of Rio de Janeiro. Ahead of time, there was plenty reason to doubt him. After all, it was just a few months ago that he was knocked out cold by undefeated lightweight champion Ilia Topuria. However, Oliveira proved his doubters wrong by submitting his opponent Mateusz Gamrot in round two. It was a classic performance from the UFC's all-time leader in submissions, finishes, and post-fight bonuses.

Despite another stunning win against a world-class opponent, Oliveira finds himself in a tough spot. His loss to the champion Topuria is still not even six years old. That means that, as impressive as he looked in his hometown, he'll need to fight again before we even talk about him making another unlikely—but hardly implausible—run at the lightweight belt.

Here are a few options for his next fight.

Max Holloway

Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC

Charles Oliveira has met Max Holloway once before, and the fight didn't go his way, as he suffered a first-round stoppage loss. However, that fight was way back in August of 2015, making it just over a decade old today. It also ended under very strange circumstances, as Oliveira suffered an esophageal tear after eating a punch in the early moments. Needless to say, there has always been room for a rematch—particularly given all that Oliveira and Holloway have accomplished since they first collided.

Oliveira, of course, is one of the best lightweights in MMA history, and enjoyed a brief but impressive reign as the division's champion. Holloway, meanwhile, is considered one of the best featherweights ever, and is 2-0 in his last two lightweight fights, having beaten Justin Gaethje and Dustin Poirier in the last 18 months. The Hawaiian also holds the UFC's novelty "BMF" title, which is reserved for only the most violent and iron-willed fighters in the game. Oliveira, the most prolific finisher in UFC history and the closest thing you'll find to guaranteed excitement in the sport, is a perfect embodiment of what the BMF belt is all about. Whether it happens next, or sometime in the next year or two, a Holloway vs. Oliveira BMF title rematch is an easy sell.

Dan Hooker

Paul Kane/Getty Images

Charles Oliveira has been floating near the top of the lightweight division for so long that he's already fought—and beaten—many of the fighters in the top-15. There are, however, a handful of fresh matchups still awaiting him, and it's arguable the best of the bunch is a fight with Dan Hooker.

New Zealand's Hooker, like Oliveira, is known for delivering exciting fights pretty much without fail. He doesn't have quite as many post-fight bonuses as the Brazilian, but he's got an impressive collection all the same.

He's currently booked for a high-stakes fight with Arman Tsarukyan, which will go down in Qatar next month. If he wins—which admittedly seems like a bit of a long shot—he might walk into a title fight with lightweight champion Ilia Topuria. That being said, he may also get passed up for another contender like Justin Gaethje or Paddy Pimblett, in which case he'd be wide open for a fight with Oliveira. If he loses, meanwhile, a fight with Oliveira would definitely make sense as he looks to rebuild.

Whatever the circumstances, this fight could easily headline any Fight Night card in any hemisphere, or be added to any upcoming pay-per-view. Just make sure the bonus checks are ready ahead of time, because we are likely to need them.

Rafael Fiziev

Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC

Before he was set to take on Mateusz Gamrot in Rio de Janeiro, Oliveira was slated to headline the card in a high-stakes showdown with Kyrgyzstan's Rafael Fiziev. Unfortunately, Fiziev was forced out of the matchup with an injury, which is when Gamrot agreed to jump on a plane to Rio and step in.

After Oliveira's impressive win over Gamrot, a fight with Fiziev is still very alluring. The Kyrgyz striking specialist isn't nearly as experienced or accomplished as the Brazilian in MMA, but in the short time he's been on the UFC roster, he has developed a reputation for thrilling fights. That's thanks in large part to a pair of wars with Justin Gaethje.

Fiziev's latest fight with Gaethje occurred earlier this year, when he stepped in on short notice to replace the injured Dan Hooker. He ultimately last that short-notice effort by decision, but performed very well under the circumstances, and has since rebounded with an impressive win over rising contender Ignacio Bahamondes.

Given his recent win over Bahamondes, Fiziev is still in great position for a fight with a living legend like Oliveira. The UFC may choose different directions for the two lightweight action stars, but nobody is going to complain if they take another shot at putting this matchup together.

Paddy Pimblett

Megan Briggs/Getty Images

At the moment, the race for the next crack at UFC lightweight champ Ilia Topuria seems to come down to three fighters: Justin Gaethje, Paddy Pimblett, and the winner of the upcoming clash between Dan Hooker and Arman Tsarukyan.

To be blunt, Tsarukyan already deserves the opportunity more than Gaethje or Pimblett, and if he beats Hooker next month, he'll be undeniable. However, if he loses, the race will be wide open, with Hooker, Gaethje, and Pimblett all in position for the opportunity to fight Topuria.

If Pimblett doesn't receive the opportunity, which seems likely given that his best win to date came against a fringe contender in Michael Chandler, he'll need to take another fight in the meantime. In that event, a matchup with Oliveira seems perfect.

Oliveira is a perfect step up from an opponent like Chandler, and surely the last test Pimblett will need to pass before getting his long-awaited title shot in the UFC. On the other hand, Pimblett is one of the biggest stars on the roster right now, which makes him an alluring opponent for Oliveira, who has done pretty much all there is to do in the sport at this point.