GLENDALE, Ariz. – When the offer to step in on short-notice to meet Carlos Condit at Saturday’s UFC on FOX 29 showed up, Alex Oliveira had one main concern.

No, it wasn’t having less than two weeks to prepare for a well trained former WEC and interim UFC champion. It was the fact that Oliveira (18-4-1 MMA, 7-3-1 UFC) was on the heavier side before stepping in for the welterweight appointment with Condit (30-11 MMA, 7-7 UFC) at Gila River Arena in Glendale, Ariz.

“That was my concern, I was at (approximately 203 pounds)” Oliveira told MMAjunkie ahead of the FOX-televised main-card bout.

But then on Thursday, after a “smooth” cut that left him with less than four-and-a-half pounds to go before weigh-ins the following morning, that worry had been lifted.

“Now I’m light, thankfully, feeling well,” Oliveira said. “I’m strong, and that’s what matters most.”

It helps that Oliveira wasn’t exactly off-training when an ACL tear forced Matt Brown off the scheduled meeting with Condit. In fact, the Brazilian “Cowboy” had already been requesting a fight but says a lot of his peers were already booked or injured.

It hasn’t been that long since his last fight – in fact, it’s been less than four months since a remarkable UFC 218 slugfest with Yancy Medeiros that ended in a third-round TKO loss for Oliveira. But he was eager to return, despite having had surgery to repair a broken nose and a deviated septum in the meantime.

“It’s ready to be broken again,” Oliveira said with a laugh. “But not now – let’s wait a little.”

Weight aside, agreeing to step in was an opportunity that didn’t require much thinking. After all, not only are these calls exactly the type of “problem” that the Brazilian brawler enjoys, but he also got to answer it against a pretty interesting foe.

“It’s a very special fight for me,” Oliveira told reporters following open workouts on Wednesday. “I’m a fan of his. Before I was an MMA fighter, back when I was a server, I was already a fan of his. He had the belt. It’s special.”

But, then again, respect between two fighters in the same weight division only goes so far. And, respectfully, Oliveira believes he’s the one who represents a new generation of fighters.

“In the octagon, we can’t let respect get in the way of a great fight,” Oliveira said. “I’m in there to brawl. I respect him a lot, but the fan and the respect come later. Now it’s about the win, and it will certainly be mine.”

Condit remains one of the most highly regarded welterweights in UFC history, but Oliveira carries a lot more momentum going into Saturday’s meeting. While he is coming off the loss to Medeiros, Oliveira had previously been on a solid four-fight streak. Condit, in turn, hasn’t won an MMA bout since May 2015.

Oliveira is aware of Condit’s dangers as a counter-attacker, so he knows he can’t go out there too hungry for a finish. The two of them will be looking for openings, and patience, he reasons, will play a key role. But he’s also confident this matchup has the makings of yet another war like the one he put on with Medeiros.

Well, perhaps not exactly like that one.

“You can expect punches and slaps going around everywhere,” Oliveira said. “It’s going to be fun. But, this time, it’s not going to the third round. Only to the second. Either him or I will fall – most likely, him.”

To hear more from Oliveira, check out the video above.

And for more on UFC on FOX 29, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.