Outside Source
On Thursday, the organization confirmed that Oliveira (35-11, 1 NC) will be battling Rafael Fiziev (13-4) atop UFC Rio. His return to action on Oct. 11 in Rio de Janeiro’s Farmasi Arena will be some three and a half removed from a vicious knockout sustained at the hands of Ilia Topuria at UFC 317 for the vacant lightweight strap. Oliveira discussed his quick turnaround, his fighting legacy and how he handled his first clean knockout defeat with Thunderpick.
Advertisement
The Brazilian last competed on home soil when he took on Kevin Lee in the headliner of the last Fight Night card before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the sport for a couple months. For him to not only be able to fight in front of local fans but family as well means everything to him.
“Man, honestly, when I announced my fight there, the first thing I did was thank God, then Dana, Hunter, and Sean for granting my request,” Oliveira remarked. “It’s been a really, really long time since I last fought in Brazil. Being able to come back and fight here again, especially at a moment like this, means so much to me. It’s about legacy—fighting for my people, for my family, you know?”
“Do Bronxs” continued, saying, “A lot of people said, ‘But it’s not a numbered card, right? It won’t pay as much.’ But it’s not about the money or the number. It’s about the nation. Fighting in front of my people. So, I’m definitely fired up. Some Brazilian fighters don’t want to fight on this card, others do — everyone has their own reasons. Some of it’s about money, sure. But like I said, for me, it’s not about money. It’s about legacy. Fighting in front of my people, in front of my family. I haven’t fought in Brazil for such a long time, so this really means a lot to me.”
Charles Oliveira: “Why I Fight”
The 35-year-old turning 36 a week after his match has accomplished things beyond the wildest dreams of most, winning a UFC title and surpassing Royce Gracie’s all-time submission record for the company, among his many other accolades. Even if his match with Fiziev is not for a crown or even necessarily for another shot at one, the Brazilian knows every match still means a great deal for him and his story.
“It’s about legacy,” Oliveira answered when asked about what is at stake in this headliner. “About my family. About how happy I am. I’ve been with the UFC for 15 years. I’ve had highs and lows. I hold the record for most bonuses, most submissions. Former lightweight champion. My story is already written. So, what does this fight mean to me? Fighting in front of my family, in front of my people. Being happy, like I am now. I got home and my wife was like, ‘Your smile goes from ear to ear.’ That kind of joy. So, there’s no pressure. Nothing else. Just a kid from the favela who made it big in the world and now wants to come back—to fight again in front of this amazing Brazilian nation.”
The former beltholder also reflected on his last performance, which saw his consciousness deprived courtesy of the destructive fists of two-division champ Topuria. A mainstay at Chute Boxe Diego Lima, Oliveira believes he and his team have a handle on what exactly went wrong: he fell in love with his hands, an ailment colloquially referred to as “strikeritis.”
“My reflection is simple: sometimes we try to prove something we don’t need to prove,” Oliveira replied in regards to what he took away from his loss. “I had trained a lot of movement, calf kicks, one-twos, takedown entries, combos leading to high kicks—all that. But when the fight started, I just wanted to show off. I believed too much in my hands, in my knockout power. I kept waiting for the perfect moment to land, but he was way faster than me because I was standing there waiting for one shot. He was way quicker.”
While Oliveira feels he is to blame for looking for that one killer shot instead of setting things up, he would be remiss if he did not acknowledge exactly how great Topuria was that night.
“His game plan worked better than mine,” “Do Bronxs” freely admitted. “It was his night. His timing was better. His punch landed before mine. He deserves all the respect in the world—it was his moment. Meanwhile, I was waiting for something I shouldn’t have waited for. What should I have done? Moved. But I didn’t. I didn’t do anything I trained for. I just stood in front of him and paid the price. That’s why I went home, stayed close to my family, and went back to training. Because there’s still so much to prove, so much to do.”
With all 11 of his career defeats coming inside the Octagon, Oliveira is no stranger to having to pick himself up off the proverbial ground, dust himself off and get back in the gym. Even though this served as the first clean knockout he had sustained professionally, he is treating it no differently than any of his other unsuccessful outings.
“I’ve been in the UFC for 15 years. I’d never been knocked out before—this was the first time. But I don’t need anyone to pick me up. It’s up to me. So, I’ve already gotten back up, and I’m moving forward. Like I said, that night is over—now it’s about the next one,” Oliveira concluded.
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
Help support MMACrazies.com when you shop Amazon by starting your online Amazon shopping at MMACrazies.com/recommends/amazon. You are not charged extra, but we receive a small and very helpful commission on everything you purchase. Thanks for thinking of us every time you shop at Amazon.
