The highly anticipated UFC 289 event is set to take place this weekend, with the women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes defending her title against Irene Aldana. However, we’re here to focus on the co-main event, which promises to be one of the best fights of the summer. Former lightweight champion, Charles Oliveira will be looking to bounce back after his loss to Islam Makhachev, as he goes up against Beneil Dariush in what could be a No. 1 contender’s matchup.

Charles Oliveira is a force to be reckoned with, hence why he’s known for causing chaos in the octagon. His last match was with Islam Makhachev at UFC 280, and he has a similar challenge ahead of him with Dariush. Dariush is a highly skilled top position grappler, much like Makhachev, and enjoys jumping into Oliveira’s guard.

Unfortunately, Oliveira’s guard is his main weapon and has been his golden ticket to success during his recent run. This makes it imperative for Oliveira to avoid giving up takedowns in the ring. Oliveira is actually quite good at defensive wrestling, contrary to popular belief, but he doesn’t attempt it often enough. If Oliveira can prevent takedowns, he has a great chance of avoiding an entire sequence.

The clinch is likely where most of the fight will take place, and Oliveira must ensure he makes his presence known with elbows and knees every time they end up in one, before breaking apart. Dariush is not the best in the clinch and does end up taking a fair amount of throws, giving Oliveira a great opportunity to flip the switch and attack.

Striking is also crucial, and Oliveira must ensure he capitalizes on Dariush’s lack of technical proficiency and hits him where it hurts with knees and uppercuts. Oliveira has a knack for snapping front kicks, and I believe this would be a great weapon to use against Dariush.

As for Beneil Dariush, he should simply replicate Islam Makhachev’s game plan if he wants to win. Oliveira’s guard is not likely to pose much of a threat to Dariush considering his expertise in BJJ and as one of the best grapplers in the UFC. Dariush needs to keep the pressure on Oliveira, dictating the terms of engagement and making it difficult for Oliveira to move forward.