Tsarukyan’s coach: “Oliveira is more dangerous than Makhachev”

The UFC’s No. 1 ranked lightweight Charles Oliveira is a more serious threat than the division’s reigning champion, Islam Makhachev, believes Arman Tsarukyan’s coach, Marsos DaMatta.

“We don’t have a title fight, but we got a legend as an opponent,” said the American specialist in an interview with MMA Junkie. “This is a guy who is even more dangerous than Islam Makhachev because he’s dangerous everywhere. He’s a good striker and he has amazing jiu-jitsu. In my opinion, he’s probably the best finisher in UFC history.”

DaMatta believes a win over Oliveira would guarantee that the division’s number two, Justin Gaethje can’t beat them in the title race.

“An early win over him will be a statement. Then no one will doubt that Arman is the number one contender because Gaethje lost to Charles. If we go out there and finish Charles, or just beat him, then I don’t think there’s no way they’re going to give Gaethje a title shot before Arman.”

As a reminder, the fight between Oliveira and Tsarukyan, which UFC head honcho Dana White called a contender fight, will take place April 13 at UFC 300 in Las Vegas, while Islam Makhachev is likely to make another title defense on June 8 in Saudi Arabia.

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