Dana White unsure about Charles Oliveira, Dricus Du Plessis as UFC 294 makeover leaves them in limbo

It wasn’t too long ago that Charles Oliveira and Dricus Du Plessis were on their way to UFC title shots. However, the upcoming UFC 294 event in Abu Dhabi has thrown a wrench into their plans. The event, which is only 11 days away, will feature new main and co-main events. Featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski will replace Oliveira to rematch Islam Makhachev for the lightweight title, while former welterweight champ Kamaru Usman will move up to middleweight to fight Khamzat Chimaev in place of the injured Paulo Costa.

Oliveira was set to rematch Makhachev, the fighter whom he lost the 155-pound title to last year. Unfortunately, Oliveira suffered a deep cut during a sparring session, preventing him from traveling to Abu Dhabi. While it would make sense for Oliveira to face the winner of the Makhachev vs. Volkanovski fight, UFC CEO Dana White stated that a trilogy fight is likely if Volkanovski wins this time.

As for Du Plessis, who has won eight fights in a row, he wasn’t initially booked for a title shot. However, the offer was on the table after his impressive victory over Robert Whittaker. But Du Plessis had to decline due to a foot injury, which didn’t sit well with White. White has stated that the winner of Usman vs. Chimaev will get a shot at the 185-pound champ Sean Strickland, leaving Du Plessis unsure of his position in the title-shot lineup.

In the end, both Oliveira and Du Plessis are left wondering about their next moves. White mentioned that Oliveira may still have a chance at the winner, but he’s currently focused on the upcoming event. As for Du Plessis, White simply said he will end up fighting someone, without giving much enthusiasm.

Retaining the HTML tags:

<h2>Charles Oliveira and Dricus Du Plessis Navigating Uncertain Future After UFC 294 Overhaul</h2>

<p>It wasn’t too long ago that Charles Oliveira and Dricus Du Plessis were in line for UFC title shots, but what comes next for both men is anybody’s guess thanks to the UFC 294 makeover.</p>

<p>Saturday’s pay-per-view event in Abu Dhabi will see new main and co-main events unfold on just 11 days’ notice as featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski replaces Oliveira to rematch Islam Makhachev for the lightweight title, while former welterweight champ Kamaru Usman moves up to middleweight to step in for injured Paulo Costa and fight Khamzat Chimaev.</p>

<p>Oliveira was locked in to rematch Makhachev – whom he lost the 155-pound title to last year – until he suffered a deep cut during a sparring session just before he was about to travel to Abu Dhabi. While conventional thinking might dictate that Oliveira gets the winner of Makhachev vs. Volkanovski, UFC CEO Dana White acknowledged Friday that a trilogy fight would probably happen if Volkanovski – who lost a close unanimous decision to Makhachev in February – gets the win this time.</p>

<p>So where would that leave Oliveira?</p>

<p>“I have no idea,” White told reporters after the UFC 294 ceremonial weigh-ins. “I’m not even thinking about that yet. I mean, I’m excited about tomorrow. I have no idea what we’re gonna do with Charles until – but obviously, if I have to answer that question, I’d say yeah (he gets the winner). I mean, the kid got a bad beat, got a bad cut literally hours before he was supposed to fly out. But, yeah, I’m not even thinking about that yet. I’m sure Charles is, but I’m not right now.”</p>

<p>Du Plessis, winner of eight fights in a row, wasn’t booked for a title shot, but the offer was on the table after he impressively finished Robert Whittaker on July 8 at UFC 290. The expectation was for Du Plessis to make a relatively quick turnaround to challenge then-middleweight champ Israel Adesanya at UFC 293, but Du Plessis said he couldn’t compete because of a foot injury, which didn’t sit well with White.</p>

<p>In the buildup to UFC 294, White has said the winner of Usman vs. Chimaev will get the next shot at 185-pound champ Sean Strickland. When asked about where that leaves Du Plessis in the title-shot pecking order, White wasn’t so enthused.</p>

<p>“I don’t know where that puts him,” White said. “It puts him fighting somebody. He’ll end up fighting somebody.”</p>

Original content source: [MMA Junkie](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com)

Reference

Sarah Foster

Sarah Foster is your guide to the world of Mixed Martial Arts. With a deep understanding of MMA’s intricacies and a passion for the sport, she offers comprehensive coverage of MMA events, fighter profiles, and in-depth analysis of fights. Sarah’s commitment to the octagon ensures that readers stay engaged with the latest developments in the MMA world.