Vinicius Oliveira will problem a problem to former UFC champion Sean O’Malley after his UFC 318 conflict with Kyler Phillips this Saturday in New Orleans, however advises “Suga” to show it down.
Oliveira has gained three straight since debuting within the promotion in 2024, together with a pair of bonuses for his performances in opposition to Bernardo Sopaj and Said Nurmagomedov, and predicts a fast end over top-ranked bantamweight Philips to be a turning level in his UFC journey.
“I’ll struggle a prime 12 now and show I’m a prime 12,” Oliveira instructed MMA Preventing. “I don’t see myself combating a prime 10 subsequent, I think about myself already combating a prime 5. If not for the belt already. I don’t have a lot left to show within the division. Take a look at the blokes I’ve fought, look what I’ve accomplished to them. I had some bother in opposition to Mentioned—I fought injured, in his residence, and gained a choice. Take a look at Ricky Simon, look what I did to Bernardo Sopaj. I’ll beat Kyler Phillips now and change into a prime 12, after which I wanna face a prime 5.”
“I don’t suppose it’s going to be potential to get such a leap in my profession already, however possibly it’s,” he continued. “I began in opposition to Ricky Simon, which was already a huge leap. Who can say they gained’t give me one other gigantic leap? I imagine so. Simply placed on a present, say what must be stated in entrance of the cameras there, and I imagine they may give me a prime 5.”
Oliveira needs to be a part of the deliberate Struggle Evening card in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Oct. 11, however acknowledges that might lower the percentages of any top-ranked 135-pounder agreeing to dealing with him in enemy territory. Due to this fact, he’s open to flying anyplace on the earth for that chance in opposition to a star like O’Malley, who seems to be to rebound from back-to-back title struggle losses to Merab Dvalishvili.
“I don’t suppose anybody within the prime 5 would wish to struggle me as a result of I’m down there [in the rankings],” Oliveira stated. “The man I wanna struggle is afraid of me, he gained’t struggle me, and that’s Umar Nurmagomedov. OK, I’ve dominated that out already. The champion, Merab, they gained’t give me that. That’s additionally dominated out. There’s an excellent probability I struggle Sean O’Malley. He’s nice, an entire fighter—not that full, however good and versatile. And he has an enormous identify within the UFC despite the fact that he’s not in an excellent second within the UFC. He’s a phenom.
“If he buys the concept, this struggle occurs. All of it is determined by the trash discuss, on how I promote this struggle. But when I have been him, I wouldn’t take the struggle. Or possibly he does as a result of he wants a win. If he fights a prime 5, in concept these guys are the very best of the division, they’re harder than those under. Possibly the percentages of him dropping are larger — in his eyes, not mine.
“If he fights a prime 12 it will be simpler for him to get the win he wants than if he fights a prime 5. What he doesn’t know is that possibly the blokes from down the rating are hungrier to maneuver up. That starvation makes us harmful. I’m harmful as a result of I’m hungry for the highest. I don’t know if he’ll settle for it or not. He has two choices, but when I have been him… I’d do it, however possibly if I have been him I’d not as a result of he has extra to lose than win.”
If not O’Malley, the opposite possibility up the rankings Oliveira suggests is Marlon Vera, and he even provides to “let him struggle at his walk-around weight.”
“I’ll make weight and he can come at any weight he needs,” Oliveira stated. “Straightforward.”
Both means, Oliveira expects an enormous struggle subsequent after he “places on a present and wins quick” in opposition to Phillips at UFC 318.
“He’ll come try this boring sport of his,” Oliveira stated, “Attempting to take me down or attempt to stand with me and notice he gained’t be capable to, after which he finally ends up knocked out sooner than he anticipated. He is aware of he’s getting knocked out, proper? Possibly I’ll knock him out sooner than he thinks.”
