Outside Source
Soon after Charles Oliveira‘s withdrawal from UFC 294’s lightweight title fight against Islam Makhachev was confirmed, the leader of Chute Boxe Sao Paulo, Diego Lima, took to social media to give his take on the situation involving his charge.
Considering the severity of the cut, “do Bronx” received a lot of criticism from fans and members of the mixed martial arts community alike for engaging in “hard” sparring sessions merely a few days away from the scheduled main event.
Detailing the sequence of events that led to the nasty cut over Oliveira’s eyebrow, Lima provided clarity to the situation on Instagram.
“I’m here to explain some things about what happened. I know that many don’t make a living from this sport and, therefore, give wrong opinions. In relation to sparring [training that simulates fighting], it is one of the best training sessions to take the fight time, press the gas and work on the strategy. The sessions are always done, but their strength is measured according to the time for the fight. It was exactly what Charles was training. We were sparring very calmly, simulating Islam’s game, just like we do in the locker room a few moments before the fight. At no point was he exchanging heavy blows with a training partner. Regarding the injury, it was a headbutt, where, unintentionally, he and his training partner collided in a ground movement. Unfortunately, it opened the cut. This is called an accident at work, because our sport is contact, and there is no way to train without contact.”
Lima continued to describe the steps carried out following Oliveira’s injury. Upon assessing the severity, the team decided it was best to bow out from the rematch with Makhachev.
“Right after the cut, we immediately went to the hospital, where the eyebrows was stitched. The location of the cut opens very easily. So, if we decided to try to fight, we would arrive in Abu Dhabi with all the points apparent. We would have to continue training and the [cutting weight in the] sauna, which would interfere with healing. In seven days we would have the stitches removed and in five days we would be fighting. A jab would open the cut again, and it could even be much bigger than it was, and the bleeding would be profuse, running into the eyes and potentially interfering with the outcome of the fight, including medical interference.”
Lima sent a message to fans who are disappointed with Oliveira’s absence from one of the biggest mixed martial arts events of 2023. Despite the current setback, he is optimistic about the former champion’s triumphant return to the Octagon.
“I know many are upset, and so are we. Don’t forget that you are the viewers and for us, it’s our job. We know the risks and are ready for any unforeseen events. Don’t forget, Charles is coming off 12 wins in 13 fights; he was one of the only athletes to fight against all of the top five in such a short period of time; one of the few champions who has never turned down a fight if he wants to. Constructive criticism will always exist and will always be welcome. However, envious people who [talk trash online] will be blocked. Thank you so much, guys. We’ll be back soon,” wrote Lima.
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
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