Charles Oliveira is set to headline the upcoming UFC Rio card on October 11th against Rafael Fiziev. It’s a tough fight, and just 105 days after “Do Bronx” got knocked out cold by Ilia Topuria in his last fight. But in a new interview explaining why he chose to compete on the Brazilian Fight Night card, Oliveira never sounded more sure of any decision.

“When I announced my fight there, the first thing I did was thank God, then Dana, Hunter, and Sean for granting my request,” he told Thunderpick. “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?”

Immediately after the event was announced, some prominent Brazilian fighters publicly passed on it because it wasn’t a pay-per-view event. Not Oliveira.

“A lot of people said, ‘But it’s not a numbered card, right? It won’t pay as much,’” he said. “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 … I haven’t fought in Brazil for such a long time, so this really means a lot to me.”

Three months is a fast turnaround for any fighter, let alone one who got brutally knocked out in his last fight. “Do Bronx” didn’t seem concerned about it at all, though.

“I learned a lot from my parents — that whatever you do, it’s about the present, it’s about now,” he said. “The moment. 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.”

“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 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.”

While fans will still worry about Oliveira’s ability to train and take punches following that knockout, the Brazilian just sounded blissed out to be competing in his home country for the first time since 2020, and the fifth time overall in his UFC career.

“Of course, it’s a really tough opponent — Fiziev is no joke,” he said. “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, ‘All right, let’s make it happen.’”

“Now it’s set: UFC Rio, October 11. I’m super excited.”