Charles Oliveira wants the biggest possible stakes if the UFC matches him with Justin Gaethje again.
Oliveira said a proposed bout with Mauricio Ruffy did not fit his schedule, then turned his attention toward Gaethje and the top of the lightweight division. In translated remarks shared alongside the interview clip, the former champion argued that Gaethje’s BMF belt and the UFC lightweight championship should both be attached to their potential rematch.
First, Oliveira explained why the Ruffy fight never moved forward.
Charles Oliveira says a Justin Gaethje fight should put the BMF and lightweight titles on the line. pic.twitter.com/sRMzfWA6Uj
— FightLuck (@FightluckBet) August 25, 2026
“The fight with Mauricio Ruffy was offered to me. I said no because I didn’t have time. It could’ve been November or December.”
He said no replacement booking followed that discussion, despite another name being connected to him.
“Since Ruffy entered, they haven’t offered me anything else. There were also rumors about Diego Lopes, but nothing happened.”
Oliveira Wants Both Belts Included In A Gaethje Rematch
Oliveira then made the stakes he wants unmistakable. If Gaethje is the opponent, he does not want the BMF championship treated as separate from the lightweight title picture.
“If it’s Gaethje, you put his BMF belt at stake and both titles are on the table. There’s nowhere to run.”
That demand would turn a rematch into more than a familiar contender pairing. Gaethje currently sits at the center of the division after his UFC Freedom 250 title victory, and Oliveira believes his own place in line is already established.
“I think I’m next for the title. That’s my thinking. That’s my focus.”
Oliveira closed the point by repeating that neither championship should be protected from the matchup.
“The lightweight title and the BMF — put all titles on the line. No problem at all.”
The two lightweights have fought once before, with Oliveira submitting Gaethje in the opening round at UFC 274 in May 2022. Their positions have changed since then. Gaethje has rebuilt his championship case after insisting that his earlier UFC losses never ended his title ambitions, and Oliveira remains close to the front of a crowded group that also includes Arman Tsarukyan.
Oliveira’s recent booking discussions have already produced conflicting accounts. Tsarukyan disputed Oliveira’s explanation for their UFC 331 plans, while Daniel Cormier later argued that the death of Oliveira teammate Allan Nascimento affected the rematch timeline. Oliveira’s new remarks narrow his own preference: wait for a title opportunity and make Gaethje defend everything available.
Gaethje’s management has separately discussed waiting for a major 2027 assignment. No Oliveira-Gaethje rematch was announced in the assigned source. For now, the interview establishes Oliveira’s target and requested terms rather than a finalized UFC booking.
