STYLES make fights not only in boxing, but also in MMA.
Dustin Poirier is known more for his striking and still UFC lightweight champion of the world, and Charles Oliveira is known more for his grappling and jiujitsu and both went at it on Saturday night at the T-Mobile Arena with Oliveira emerging winner via rear naked choke at one minute and two seconds left in the third round to successfully defending his lightweight strap.
Reportedly, Oliveira will next fight the human highlight reel of the UFC, Justin Gaethje, sometime next year.
After the fight, a very gracious Dustin Poirier offered to donate $20,000 to Charles Oliveira’s favorite charity. The gesture speaks volumes about the kind of human being the “Diamond” from Louisiana is.
Justin Gaethje offered his congratulations to Oliveira after the fight to perhaps, sort of, kind of, jumpstart promotions of their fight which will probably be scheduled for next year.
With the win, according to ESPN.com, “A native of Brazil, Oliveira has the most finishes (18) and most submission wins (15) in UFC history. He has a 20-8 (1 NC) record in the UFC going back to his debut in 2010 and is one of only nine fighters in history to win 20 UFC fights.”
Poirier himself is no pansy, being the lightweight with the most number of KO and TKO wins at eight.
Going into the fight against Justin Gaethje, Charles Oliveira, may want to work on his stand up, maybe incorporate some boxing into his repertoire and some head movement to add to his UFC best ground game which, in my opinion, is second to none in MMA.