Charles Oliveira has lost his prized lightweight title without getting a chance to defend it at UFC 274.
The Brazilian has been stripped of the title after missing the 155-pound weight limit.
Charles Oliveira (32-8) came in a half-pound over the limits and with a win, he will be the No. 1 contender and get a shot at winning the title back in his next fight.
UFC subsequently announced that the title would be vacated and that Oliveira would not be eligible to reclaim the title.
Gaethje, who lost a previous lightweight title fight to Khabib Nurmagomedov in October 2020, made weight and will be crowned champion even if he loses in the octagon as he will be credited with a win over Oliveira.
The Brazilian finally achieved his dream of winning a UFC crown when he defeated Michael Chandler a year ago.
The fight with Gaethje was to be Oliveira’s second since taking the lightweight title after defending it against Dustin Poirier.
Oliveira was wobbled by Chandler before knocking him out in the second round and had some similar shaky moments against Poirier in December before submitting him in the third round for his 10th straight win.
Gaethje, meanwhile, won the interim lightweight title by pummeling Ferguson in 2020, but lost the title to Khabib Nurmagomedov in a second-round submittal later that year.
He again moved up to the No. 1 contender in the lightweight class with a unanimous decision over Chandler in November.
The much-hyped fight between Oliveira and Gaethje is the co-main event of UFC 274, along with Rose Namajunas’ strawweight title defense against former champion Carla Esparza.
The main card also includes Chandler facing former champion Tony Ferguson and Donald Cerrone squaring off against Joe Lauzon in what could potentially be the final fight in the career of “The Cowboy.”
