Vinicius Oliveira calls out Josh Emmett after featherweight debut

Vinicius Oliveira stopped Andre Fili in his featherweight debut and wasted no time calling for a ranked opponent.

Oliveira finished Fili in the second round at UFC Fight Night 279 on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, per Sherdog. After absorbing heavy body kicks in the opening frame, the Brazilian hurt Fili with a combination before unloading a flurry of strikes to secure the stoppage late in round two.

Oliveira eyes top-15 featherweight or higher

The former bantamweight contender immediately set his sights on No. 15-ranked Josh Emmett but made clear he believes his résumé warrants a bigger test. "If the UFC want to give me Josh Emmett, Top 15, I'll be ready to fight with him," Oliveira told the UFC in his post-fight interview. "But I hope the UFC give me a Top 12 opponent, but I don't know who. In my former division, bantamweight, I was Top 12. So I think I deserve the chance to fight a Top 12 opponent."

Oliveira had won four straight UFC fights before losing to Mario Bautista in a main event this past February. The defeat came at bantamweight, where Oliveira reportedly cut around 50 pounds to make weight, a factor that likely drove his move up to 145 pounds.

The Brazilian now sits at 24-4 overall and will await the UFC's matchmaking decision on whether he lands Emmett or cracks the top 12 in his next outing.

Reported via:

• Sherdog — Vinicius Oliveira calls out Josh Emmett after successful featherweight debut