Charles Oliveira has shot down rumors of a potential matchup with Diego Lopes, confirming he currently has no fight booked. The former lightweight champion says he is eager to compete again before the end of the year and is actively seeking one more bout.
Charles Oliveira has publicly dismissed speculation linking him to a fight with Diego Lopes, making clear he has nothing booked and is instead focused on landing a different opponent before 2024 comes to a close.
Oliveira, 36, is one of the most decorated fighters in lightweight history. Currently ranked third at 155 pounds and eleventh in the pound-for-pound standings, the Brazilian carries a 37-11-0 record built on relentless finishing ability. Training out of Chute Boxe Diego Lima, the former champion lands 3.35 significant strikes per minute at a striking accuracy of 54 percent, while also averaging 2.22 takedowns and 2.6 submission attempts per 15 minutes — numbers that reflect a genuinely complete and dangerous game.
Diego Lopes, 31, competes primarily at featherweight, where he sits ranked second in the division with a 28-8-0 record. The fellow Brazilian out of Lobo Gym MMA is an aggressive pressure fighter who lands 3.83 significant strikes per minute, though the cross-divisional gap between featherweight and lightweight made the rumored pairing an unusual proposition to begin with.
Why it matters
- Oliveira remains a top-three lightweight contender, meaning any bout he takes carries direct title implications at 155 pounds.
- His public denial puts the Lopes matchup to rest and shifts attention to which opponent and organization can move quickly enough to secure his final 2024 appearance.
- A win before year's end would keep Oliveira firmly in the lightweight title conversation heading into 2025.
