TGIFighting: Charles Oliveira Talks Underdog Status vs Dustin Poirier at UFC 269

Welcome back to TGIFighting, where we talk to top fighters, preview the weekend's combat sports action and make crotchety observations about the combat sports news of the day. Ready? Let's proceed.

This Saturday in the main event of UFC 269 in Las Vegas, lightweight champion Charles Oliveira makes his first title defense against longtime belt-hunter Dustin Poirier.

Generally speaking, fight fans are better acquainted with Poirier, thanks to his two superbouts with Conor McGregor and 12 bonus-winning performances spread over a decadelong UFC career. But hardcore fans know all about Oliveira, who has a long UFC tenure of his own, not to mention the company record for career submission wins with 14.

As of Thursday, according to DraftKings, the champ is a +135 underdog to defend his title. I recently asked Oliveira about being an underdog and plenty more. The exchange has been edited for length and clarity.

Bleacher Report: How did life change for you after you won the belt? 

Oliveira: Life changed completely. I have more fans now; more people know me. It has changed everything. I've dreamed about this my whole life, so I won't pretend like I don't like it. It doesn't bother me at all. On the contrary; I enjoy it.

I just have to keep humble, keep my feet on the ground and just keep moving forward. I know where I can go and what I can still do.

Icon Sportswire/Getty Images

B/R: As UFC 269 approaches, what do you want fans to know about you and about your preparation for this fight?

Oliveira: I just want to tell them they can trust me. I'm ready, and I was born for this.

B/R: Despite being champion, you're still an underdog to Poirier. Do you think people look past you?

Oliveira: I don't really care about the betting odds. I respect Poirier. I respect his story. But I'm the champion, and I'll show that on Saturday.

B/R: Poirier is good on the ground, but on paper you have an advantage there. Are you going to shoot for takedowns to get the fight to the mat?

Oliveira: All fighters have good fights and bad fights, but we're all MMA fighters. So I'm ready for anything. I'm ready to fight him on the ground or standing up. I feel like everyone has seen how much I've grown since the past. I'm a complete athlete, and I will win this fight.

B/R: You've been in the UFC since 2010. That's a long time. Every fight is important, but is there a fight that meant the most to you and your growth as a fighter?

Oliveira: Like you said, I've had an extensive career. Every fight has taught me something. I would say my last defeat [to Paul Felder in 2017] was where everything changed for me. It sort of flipped a switch. I became a different athlete after that.

B/R: The lightweight division is stacked right now. When you're watching the UFC as a fan, who jumps out at you?

Oliveira: Many of them, actually. Dustin is very fun to watch. Edson Barboza is another. But there are many great athletes in the division … Michael Chandler and Justin Gaethje just put on a war. Both men came forward and did what they came there to do.

B/R: What do you like to do after a win?

Oliveira: Actually, I just want to go back home. I want to go back to my family and my team and all those people who've supported me along the way and celebrate with them. So, yeah. I just want to go back home.

Kayla Harrison UFC-Bound?

If women's GOAT Amanda Nunes takes care of business Saturday against massive underdog Julianna Pena, her post-fight interview could be interesting.

News broke Wednesday that Kayla Harrison is in talks to move to the UFC. The two-time Olympic gold medalist is also a two-time winner of the Professional Fighters League $1 million tournament. Harrison, who is a perfect 12-0 in MMA competition, has mostly competed at 155 pounds. The UFC doesn't have a women's lightweight division, meaning she'd have to move down to featherweight, where Nunes is champion.

Harrison competed once at 145 pounds and told ESPN's Brett Okamoto that a featherweight move is "in my future," so it might just be a matter of dollars and cents.

At the risk of stating the obvious, Nunes-Harrison is the biggest women's MMA fight out there. While Bellator and a date with Cristiane "Cyborg" Justino also remains a possibility, there's no question where the biggest glamor matchup lies.

The Squeamish Bettor

Record to date: 25-8

Light heavyweight Jamahal Hill cashed last week as an underdog to Jimmy Crute. Although he's known for that gnarly arm injury, after knocking out a respected young competitor in just 48 seconds, Hill is one to reckon with at 205 pounds.

Kyusung Gong/Associated Press/Associated Press

For UFC 269, we go to the deep undercard, where two submission aces square off. Per DraftKings, Ryan Hall is a -200 favorite to defeat Darrick Minner, a veteran who has a checkered record against true elites but still has garnered 22 submission wins.

Hall's on another level, though. Although he has "only" three submission wins, he looks brilliant whenever the action hits the mat. His striking is a little, shall we say, calcified, but that won't be an issue against Minner like it was in Hall's last match, a knockout loss to hard-hitting Ilia Topuria.

Mark me down for Hall winning a chess match, keeping Minner under wraps for a clear if conservative win.

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