Charles Oliveira has explained his decision to make a swift return to the UFC Octagon after his vicious knockout by Ilia Topuria, as he prepares to face Rafael Fiziev.
On 11 October, Oliveira will fight in his native Brazil for the first time in five years, as he aims to bounce back from his first-round loss to Topuria on 28 June.
Many fans have noted that it is a quick turnaround for the former lightweight champion, who failed to win the vacant title when he faced Topuria, and the 35-year-old has explained his thinking.
“Man, to be real with you, I learned a lot from my parents that whatever you do, it’s about the present – it’s about now, the moment,” Oliveira told Thunderpick. “If I fought today, win or lose, it happened today. Tomorrow’s a new day, and I’ve carried that mindset throughout my whole life, my entire career.
“When I won, it was just that day. The next day, I had to get back to work, back to training, because there’s always someone out there trying to beat me. And when I lost, same thing: I had to come back better.
“So, that’s exactly what I’m doing. I went home, took a breath, and got back to training, because I want to be better. I made the request to Hunter [Campbell, UFC CBO] and the UFC to fight in Brazil, in front of my family, in front of my people. That would be something magical. And thank God, it’s happening.
“Of course, it’s a really tough opponent. Fiziev is no joke, but I’m genuinely happy and focused. My mindset is bulletproof, and when I’m happy, when I’m feeling bold, things just flow naturally. Last night, when I got the message saying everything’s confirmed, ‘main event’, I said: ‘Alright, let’s make it happen.’”
Oliveira also clarified that he specifically requested to compete at the Rio Fight Night, saying: “Yeah. A lot of people said, ‘But it’s not a numbered card [pay-per-view],’ and I said: ‘I don’t care, man. I want to fight.’ It would be amazing to fight here again. It’s been a long time since I fought in Brazil.
“When you fight here, you’re fighting in front of your people, your family. That makes it huge. I’m really motivated and happy about it.”
Oliveira also reflected on his defeat by Topuria, who stayed unbeaten by stopping the Brazilian and captured a second title in the process; in February, the Spanish-Georgian had given up the featherweight belt to pursue lightweight gold.
“My reflection is simple,” Oliveira said. “Sometimes we try to prove something we don’t need to prove. 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. His game plan worked better than mine. 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.
“Man, to be honest, [I didn’t notice any weakness in Topuria] in the moment. I didn’t even have a good moment in the fight. He’s a dangerous guy, he moves well, he’s calm in there. So, how could I point out a weakness? There’s nothing to say. That night, his game was better than mine.
“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.
“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 has twice failed to recapture the lightweight title, which he won in 2021, since losing it due to a failed weigh-in in May 2022; prior to his loss to Topuria, Oliveira was submitted by Islam Makhachev in a vacant-title fight in October 2022.
As such, he seemed to suggest that a new title reign may be beyond him at this point in his career, as he laid out the stakes in his clash with Fiziev.
“Brother, I’ll be straight with you: it’s about legacy, about my family, about how happy I am,” he said. “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.”
