Let's Set Odds: Who Should Charles Oliveira Fight Next?

'Do Bronx' may not have left with the Lightweight belt, but he's the champ in all of our eyes.

Charles Oliveira was stripped of the Lightweight title last Friday afternoon after failing to make weight by a half pound, but he confirmed all of our beliefs that he was the best lightweight Saturday night; finishing Justin Gaethje in the first round at UFC 274.

So, Oliveira doesn't have the belt, but is the No. 1 contender for the Lightweight title that he hasn't lost. He comes in on an 11-fight winning streak and has looked incredible in his 3 title fights (even though he couldn't win his last one due to the weight issue).

Who is next for Oliveira? 'Do Bronx' called out Conor McGregor after his latest victory, but will the two meet? Let's set some hypothetical odds for who Oliveira will face next.

Odds for Charles Oliveira's Next Opponent

• Conor McGregor: +175
• Islam Makhachev: +250
• Alexander Volkanovski: +500
• Michael Chandler: +1000

McGregor Biggest Payday, but Makhachev Most Deserving

Oliveira is the king of the division, no questions about it, but McGregor has loomed large over the lightweight class for years despite being winless at 155 since 2016. The 'Notorious' is the only fighter who can jump right back in and fight for a title shot. It makes sense that Oliveira would call out McGregor, putting his streak on the line against the biggest face in the UFC, despite it being unwarranted given McGregor's recent form.

We'll see if the Irishmen takes the challenge and a fight comes together, but the more logical choice would be Makhachev. The Russian is 22-1 and hasn't lost since 2016. The concern here is that he doesn't have the most challenging path to a title shot, but he is the rightful challenger after Oliveira has disposed of the rest of the division. Makhachev was scheduled to fight Beneil Dariush in February in a potential title eliminator, but an injury scrapped that fight. Maybe Makhachev has to knock off Dariush before getting a crack at Oliveira, but he may just jump to the front of the line as the most worthy lightweight based on recent form.

Chandler stole the show at UFC 274, finishing Tony Ferguson in brutal fashion, but he did fight Oliveira last year for the title, nearly finishing him in the first round before being finished himself in the second round. It's worth noting that Chandler called out McGregor as well, as that fight makes sense as well.

Featherweight Champion Volkanovski Looms as Challenger

Oliveira is on a tear at Lightweight that there may not be a perfect challenger for him at the moment. As the weight class figures itself out, why not challenge one of the best pound-for-pound fighters the promotion has?

Volkanovski is set to face Max Holloway in a trilogy fight that he leads 2-0, but both fights were very competitive. However, the fact that he is facing Holloway again shows that he is a cut above the featherweight class, standing 24-1 in his career, unbeaten since 2013.

If the Aussie makes it 3 in a row over Holloway, who is left? Nobody at Featherweight, so why not make a star studded affair with Oliveira, who also has limited options? Dana White floated it last weekend.

Volkanovski is set to face Holloway at UFC 276 on July 2, 2022, so the two have a similar schedule moving forward.