Chute Boxe head coach addresses Charles Oliveira vs. Diego Lopes rumors

Charles

Oliveira 's camp has shut down speculation linking the former

Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight champion to a BMF

title defense against Diego

Lopes .

With Lopes making it clear that he’s looking to move up to

lightweight after his knockout victory over Steve

Garcia at

UFC Freedom 250 , rumors linking him to a fight against the BMF

champ emerged. According to

Chute Boxe coach and Oliveira’s manager, Diego Lima, their

team’s goal remains the undisputed lightweight crown. Diego Lima shuts down Oliveira vs. Lopes, eyes Justin Gaethje

rematch

Lima recently broke down the lightweight title mix, revealing that

current champion Justin

Gaethje is expected to return to action next year. The veteran

coach also acknowledged that Arman

Tsarukyan , who’s beaten Oliveira, is ahead of “do Bronxs” in

the pecking order at 155 pounds. However, Lima highlighted the fact

that his pupil is a bigger star than Tsarukyan and, more

importantly, boasts a win over Gaethje. "Our biggest goal is the lightweight title, but obviously that

doesn't depend only on us," Lima told Sherdog’s Marcelo Alonso."Gaethje is the champion and what we know is that he's expected to

return in March or April of 2027, which puts us in a difficult

position. Right now, we know that Arman is ahead of us. At the same

time, we know Charles would sell much more, especially because he

already defeated Gaethje and he's also the current BMF

champion."

Lima went on to deny claims that Oliveira and Lopes were in talks

for a BMF title bout. "To be completely honest, we're not talking about that at all,"

Lima added. "My intention is not to touch the BMF belt right now

and instead focus on fighting Gaethje for the lightweight title. Of

course, depending on what the UFC wants to negotiate next, we'll

evaluate it, but our objective is the undisputed lightweight

championship."

Oliveira is on a two-fight win streak, in which he submitted

Mateusz

Gamrot and dominated Max

Holloway to win the BMF title. According to the Brazilian’s

team, rematches against Tsarukyan or Gaethje are the only matchups

they’d entertain.

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