2 nurmagomedovs and a title shot: Vinicius Oliveira explains Scenario, where he fights for the UFC belt in 2025

Merab Dvalishvili just defended the UFC Bantamweight Belt against Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311, and could possibly give Sean O’Malley a fight next time, but Vinicius Oliveira said he has a master plan that will culminate with him that holds 135-pound gold By the end of 2025.

Oliveira sent Victor Madrigal on Dana White‘s Contender series And went on a perfect 2-0 race in the UFC in 2024 and stopped Bernardo Sopaj in a brutal way before winning a decision of experienced veteran Ricky Simon. Booked to meet the mentioned Nurmagomedov in UFC Saudi -Arabia this Saturday, “Loks” feels that his way is ready in the UFC.

“I think I’ll get a shot on the belt this year,” Oliveira told MMA Fighting. “I have an incredible achievement, something that no one has ever seen. I win this match and then I don’t know what UFC will give me. I call who I want and the world knows who – and he doesn’t want anywhere to hide. If I get the fight I want, the belt will come this year. “

The name Oliveira wants next is Umar Nurmagomedov, which he has already traded with shots online in the past. Both competed the same evening in March 2024, and the Brazilian promised to “tear your heart out and feed it to some dogs” afterwards. Oliveira has mixed feelings around this match-up now since the Russian recently lost against Dvalishvili, but still likes the idea.

“I would be the first to give him a loss, and it won’t happen anymore,” said Oliveira, “but I can be the first to give him his second loss (laughs).”

“I would very much like to fight against Umar Nurmagomedov,” he continued. “We had a beef a while ago, but he just lost, so fighting him does not excite me that much. It’s a very interesting match for me, but wouldn’t make sense 100 percent today. Of course, it would be important because he is still up there and that I hit him would speed up things for me to get to the belt, but it doesn’t excite me 100 percent anymore. But certainly, if there was someone I had to fight, he would be the first on the list.

“With everything I make, hype and the way I promote matches, the way UFC promotes me … It may not look like that, but people in UFC are probably talking about me all the time. I am a young view and I put on exciting matches. I speak as I speak, I promote matches that no one else does, and I go to exciting matches. That’s what UFC wants and that’s what I give them. UFC is betting on me because I’m a showman. “

Oliveira called himself “the most complete fighter in the division” and said he is able to adapt to any situation. If Oliveira was locked in Octagon against the last title practitioner, Oliveira said he would “drown” Nurmagomedov in his own game.

“It will be like Merab did,” he said. “The difference is that I want to knock him out in a round.”

Beating both of Nurmagomedov’s back-to-back would be a great achievement that could help his case to a shot at the title later in the year, but Oliveira doesn’t expect Dvalishvili to sit at the top when it’s his turn. Oliveira said he would love to challenge the king of 135 pounds, but would choose O’Malley to win a potential fight.

Said, the first Nurmagomedov on the list has not fought since picking up a first round of submission over Muin Gafurov in October 2023, rebuilding from his second Octagon loss to Jonathan Martinez. The 32-year-old talent is 7-2 since he joined the UFC.

“I have to prove that Russians are not invincible, as many people think,” Oliveira said. “I’ve fought harder guys and I’m ready to fight on my feet, ready to fight on the ground, ready for all three rounds. I’m ready for 10 rounds if I have to. My cardio is one of my strongest weapons for a fight. “

Oliveira built his career in the United Arab Emirates before signing with UFC, claiming and defending the UAE Warriors belt in Abu Dhabi soil, so that competing in Saudi -Arabia feels like home for him.

“I’m fighting a Russian, and in theory it’s their home, they’re used to that time zone,” Oliveira said. “On paper, it’s all in their advantage if you think about it. We came here (two weeks) early to get closer to perfection. I was once king here in Arabia. I’m still the king. A king never loses his majesty. I was hit in the head, but the crown is still here. I’m always here. People know who I am. I have no pressure. I know victory is coming. I work out hard every single day, every second of the day. I can’t stop thinking about the fight. My opponent is tough, he is good, but I have no doubt that I am better than him in all aspects of a fight. “