“Do Bronx” is no stranger to defying the odds, but his latest gamble has the mixed martial arts (MMA) world on edge.
Just six weeks after a vicious knockout loss to Ilia Topuria at UFC 317, former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Lightweight champion Charles Oliveira is set to headline UFC Rio against Rafael Fiziev on Oct. 11 at Farmasi Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. That’s a mere 105 days since getting flatlined (watch it).
But the Brazilian star isn’t fazed.
“Actually, I’d never been knocked out before; it was the first time,” Oliveira recently told Ag.Fight. “We’ll only know when I get back, and I wanted to get back as soon as possible, so we’re here. When the [UFC 317] fight ended, they asked me to stay two extra days, so I stayed and did all the tests.”
“Everything’s fine, I’m ready,” Oliveira added. “They asked me to stay for two more days, and I came back feeling good. Nothing was wrong, I’m cleared, and I wanted to get back as soon as possible, and that’s what happened.”
While Oliveira’s confidence is nice to hear, the stakes are sky-high. A loss could seriously derail his path back to Lightweight prominence, and skeptics are quick to point out the parallels to Volkanovski’s ill-fated quick return.
Still, for “Do Bronx,” this fight is personal—it’s a homecoming to Brazil, where he hasn’t fought in front of fans since 2019. (His 2020 Brasília bout was a fanless COVID-era card.)
“For many people who don’t have visas or the means to go to the United States to watch me, it’s been a long time since I fought in Brazil,” Oliveira said. “Many people who want to watch me but don’t have the financial means, don’t even have visas or passports to try to do so. They’ll be able to watch me fight now.”
“I’ve always said: ’The favela will show up’ and this time, for real, the favela will come down. At the press conference and the weigh-in, the Brazilian people will be there, chanting my name, cheering for us, sending that positive energy. And on fight day, that’s what it will be,” Oliveira concluded. “So, I’m very motivated and very happy. I’ve wanted to fight in Brazil for a long time.”
Whether this is a triumphant return or a risky misstep for the UFC legend remains to be seen. For now, Oliveira is all-in, ready to silence the doubters and electrify Rio. As he puts it, the favela’s got his back—so bring it on.