Lightweight champ Charles Oliveira's UFC 264 prediction: 'Conor McGregor by knockout'

Charles Oliveira has his pick on lock for Saturday’s colossal lightweight clash.

The newly crowned 155-pound champion has his eyes on the main event bout between Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor at UFC 264 in Las Vegas. Oliveira will be in attendance at T-Mobile Arena watching the two lightweights throw down for a third time in competition for a likely shot at Oliveira’s belt.

Oliveira thinks Irish superstar McGregor (22-5 MMA, 10-3 UFC) will get the job done and win the trilogy bout against Poirier (27-6 MMA, 19-5 UFC). Each fighter holds a knockout win over the other. McGregor stopped Poirier quickly into the first round in 2014. Poirier won the rematch at UFC 257 in January.

“Conor McGregor by knockout,” Oliveira told TMZ. “I’m the champion. For me, McGregor or Poirier are the same. I’m the champion. I’m ready to fight, I’m the champion.”

Oliveira won the vacant lightweight title in May when he knocked out former Bellator champion Michael Chandler in the second round. The Brazilian won the belt that Khabib Nurmagomedov vacated following his retirement.

UFC president Dana White has expressed that the winner of Poirier-McGregor will get the next title shot at 155 pounds.