LAS VEGAS – Vinicius Oliveira is ready to test himself with the very best the UFC featherweight division has to offer.
“Lok Dog” called for a ranked opponent following his successful UFC featherweight debut. This past Saturday, Oliveira (23-4 MMA, 4-2 UFC) bounced back from his disappointing loss to Mario Bautista by putting away veteran Andre Fili (25-14 MMA, 13-13 UFC) on the main card of UFC Fight Night 279 at the Meta Apex. It was a big statement win for Oliveira and one that he hopes can get him a big fight next.
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“I think to start in this division, if UFC could give me the top 12 that I was, the point that I was in my division when I was a bantamweight, I was top 12,” Oliveira said at the UFC Fight Night 279 post-fight press conference. “I mean, to be honest, I don’t know who is the top 12 in this division, but if (UFC) can give me a top 12, I’d be so glad of that. If not, (UFC) can give me Josh Emmett.”
Oliveira was on a four-fight winning streak before getting his first UFC main event spot against Bautista in February. Many thought he was bound to be a title contender at 135 pounds, but the Brazilian looked flat against Bautista. He attributes his bad performance to extreme weight cutting – which he won’t have to deal with now fighting at 145 pounds.
“I felt strong during the fight. I didn’t get tired,” Oliveira said. “I didn’t get weak. So in my former division, bantamweight, people usually say, ‘Ah, ‘Lok Dog’ are weak, guys. He always get tired.’ But now I can prove that I fixed some things in my weight, and now I don’t get more tired. I’m feeling good. That’s my division.”
Apart from feeling much better in the cage, Oliveira expects to be more active now. The weight cuts down to 135 pounds required time and too much from his body, not allowing him to be active.
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“Now I can fight more often inside this division,” Oliveira said. “I just need to take care of my injury. So in bantamweight, I just can fight once or twice, maybe three (times a year). But this is too much because I need to lose 23 kilos. Now, I can fight often, like three or four fights a year.”
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Vinicius Oliveira calls for Josh Emmett or top 12 UFC featherweight
