Belal Muhammad isn’t so sure about Charles Oliveira’s training methods that led to his exit from the UFC 294 main event.
The MMA world was flipped upside down last week when news spread that the former lightweight king Oliveira was out of his rematch with reigning champion Islam Makhachev. “Do Bronx” suffered a bad cut above his eye in training, forcing his withdrawal from the title tilt. Therefore, leading to a champion vs. champion rematch between Makhachev and his most recent opponent, the current featherweight titlist Alexander Volkanovski.
Oliveira was openly skeptical about the fairness of returning to Abu Dhabi for his rematch with Makhachev — the same place they fought the first time in October 2020. Makhachev won via a second-round arm-triangle choke, leading Oliveira to a rebound victory over Beneil Dariush via first-round TKO in June 2023. Despite the circumstances, top welterweight contender Belal Muhammad believes things worked out in Oliveira’s favor.
“Charles got what he wanted. He’s not fighting Abu Dhabi,” Muhammad said on Instagram. “As a fighter, you understand the game, right? The training is the hardest part. But the biggest fight of your life, the biggest rematch of your life. You get a cut 10 days before the fight in your eyebrow. Who are you training with, bro?
“I’ve been in the training room. I’ve seen it happen, right? Anthony Pettis before his fight with Dustin Poirier, one week before, he got split open, eyebrow cut to the core. I was like, ‘Why did this a week before the fight?’ The world didn’t know about it and Anthony got it surgically repaired, stitched up. It opened up in the fight but he still went in there and fought.”
Oliveira revealed months after his loss to Makhachev that he was originally offered an immediate rematch in his home of Brazil at UFC 283 this past January. The former champion ultimately declined, stating that he wasn’t yet mentally prepared for a second encounter with his Dagestani successor.
It seems hard to imagine Oliveira passing up the opportunity a second time, and after a big Dariush win, but Muhammad is convinced that it was the biggest factor in his inevitable withdrawal.
“To me, Charles never wanted to go to Abu Dhabi,” Muhammad said. “He never wanted to fight in enemy territory, as he said. He wanted it where he wanted it. Do I say he did it purposefully? Who knows? But he chose not to fight.”
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VIDEO STEW
Inside CSAC.
Sound & Pound.
Embedded 2.
RIZIN Confessions 134.
Flava Flav likes MMA.
Rapid Rounds: Honchak vs. Smith.
Anatomy of UFC 294 2.
The Rematch.
Prep.
LISTEN UP
Heck of a Morning. MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck discusses if Alexander Volkanovski or Kamaru Usman has a better chance to pull off the UFC 294 upset.
MORNING MUSIC
SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE
Eblen vs. Ryan.
Not that I’m trying to stir up any unwarranted drama, but gordan ryan just stated that MMA should allow athletes to be on steroids because it would supposedly make it more entertaining.
Hey bro, there’s a reason your health sucks and it has a lot to do with you wanting to be an… pic.twitter.com/6QAj5DiQJ0
— Johnny Eblen (@JohnnyEblen) October 17, 2023
Interesting.
️ Fight News soon!
— CrisCyborg.Com (@criscyborg) October 17, 2023
Cutting season.
Volkanovski revealed that he was 181 lbs when he got the call to fight Makhachev on 11 days notice
A week and a half to cut 26 lbs #UFC294
(h/t @alexvolkanovski) pic.twitter.com/lSKs8tq9Zu
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) October 17, 2023
Champ speeds.
Featherweight Champion Vugar Keramov’s first finish in RIZIN was scary fast!
Can he keep his title against the surging star Chihiro Suzuki at #RIZIN_Landmark7? pic.twitter.com/flYCkx68va
— RIZIN FF English (@rizin_English) October 17, 2023
Look out.
Amru Magomedov remains undefeated at 7-0, submitting Jakhongir Jumaev via first round RNC and claiming the vacant UAE Warriors Lightweight strap. #UAEWarriors45 pic.twitter.com/Re0UBiTrBN
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) October 17, 2023
Yawn.
Saul you uncooked chicken, I’ll stomp the ligaments out of your knee joint. I don’t even need hands to end you, I’ll kick you raw pink, leave you looking like you were left out in the sun too long haha freckle arse. I will see you and we will see. Canelo is a cornflake, no sugar.
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) October 17, 2023
UAE.
At UAE Warriors! pic.twitter.com/qbRILxtBh3
— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) October 17, 2023
Ryokkes is the man.
Ready to run the rematch
The #UFC294 Artist Series poster is here! Grab the design now from the @UFCStore
[ via @Ryokkes_Draw2 | @InAbuDhabi | #InAbuDhabi | @VisitAbuDhabi ] pic.twitter.com/kKWNKBSvNQ— UFC (@ufc) October 17, 2023
Longterm damage.
2年半前
この試合の怪我から顔に麻痺が残ってる。
痛む度に負けたことを思い出す。
這い上がる。
チャンピオンを超えたい。
超える。 pic.twitter.com/DOCljGImA3— Kana Watanabe×渡辺華奈 (@kanawatanabe821) October 17, 2023
Ready to go.
Boys are feeling good heading into #UFC294.@USMAN84kg and @MAKHACHEVMMA talk about their weight cut ahead of this weekend.
Catch all the action #InAbuDhabi this Saturday on ESPN+
[ @InAbuDhabi | @VisitAbuDhabi ] pic.twitter.com/jYuEW6aEJ0— UFC (@ufc) October 17, 2023
What a tease.
Gross!
Official speech about the medical impediment and remove from the fight on October 21st in Abudhabi. I will be back sooner than later . Thanks! pic.twitter.com/m0Rqe6fEAG
— Paulo Costa ( Borrachinha ) (@BorrachinhaMMA) October 17, 2023
That is a lot…
Before turning off the light to sleep, I had this thought that most of humans spend about 1/3 of their lives sleeping…
That’s a lot… pic.twitter.com/H3m30BEjfI— Georges St-Pierre (@GeorgesStPierre) October 18, 2023
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Hyun Sung Park (8-0) vs. Shannon Ross (13-8); UFC Fight Night, Dec. 9
Cody Garbrandt (13-5) vs. Brian Kelleher (24-14); UFC 296, Dec. 16
FINAL THOUGHTS
I’m not sure anyone, especially Oliveira, would intentionally cut themselves the way he did but he did seem like he never wanted to fight in Abu Dhabi.
Thanks for reading!
EXIT POLL
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