Charles Oliveira is one of the most technical and exciting fighters in the UFC.
He is wild and at times reckless, yet his striking skills make him a dangerous opponent on the feet, and his grappling is some of the best you will see in the promotion.
This weekend Oliveira faces off against Beneil Dariush at UFC 289 in Vancouver, and it has all the makings of a mouth-watering matchup.
This is the Charles Oliveira breakdown.
Welcome to the UFC Charles Oliveira
Oliveira made his UFC debut in 2010 after going 12-0 in his professional career, and got off to a dream start by submitting Darren Elkins in the first round.
After another victory, he hit an inconsistent run of form, picking up only two wins in seven fights.
It was unclear at this point in his career where he was heading, but Oliveira would bounce back in style.
He would go on to win his next four fights – three by submission – and received four bonuses to boot.
Just when the Brazilian began to look like a title challenger, he went on another poor run.
‘Do Bronx’ was struggling to find his feet in the UFC.
Return to Lightweight – The Rise of ‘Do Bronx’
On top of the inconsistency in the octagon, Oliveira missed weight on multiple occasions at 145 pounds.
It became clear that this was not his weight class, and so he returned to lightweight.
It turned out to be the correct decision as this is where he became a dominant force in the UFC.
Oliveira submitted Will Brooks on his return to 155 pounds, and after a knockout loss to Paul Felder, went on a stunning 11 fight win streak.
During this streak, Oliveira finished 10 of the 11 wins and won the lightweight title against Michael Chandler.
This was the ‘Do Bronx’ era.
Title Defence/Adversity Strikes Again
Oliveira defended his title in a fast-paced thriller against Dustin Poirier at UFC 269.
In a fight full of action, the Brazilian once again came out on top by submission in round three.
It seemed that everything he touched turned to gold – until it was time to face Justin Gaethje in his next title defence.
Oliveira missed weight for the fight, and was subsequently stripped of his belt. Only Gaethje was eligible to win the title.
UFC Record Breaker – A Finishing Phenom
Despite the drama, Oliveira won the fight by rear-naked choke in the very first round and again proved the doubters wrong.
In doing so, he extended his UFC records – he has the most finishes with 19 and the most submissions with 16.
He is a born finisher, and fireworks are pretty much guaranteed in an Oliveira fight.
Striking And Grappling of Charles Oliveira
On his unbeaten streak, Oliveira’s striking improved. He went on a run that saw him finish three of five fights by knockout.
He has always been fun to watch on the feet as he marches forward with a muay thai style.
His ability to mix up his attacks is a sight to behold and it makes him a constant threat everywhere.
You will struggle to find a better example of a left hook than the one landed by Oliveira against Chandler.
His grappling and Jiu-Jitsu are second to none and this is evident when looking at his finishing rate.
The third degree Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt is a nightmare to deal with on top, his guard is strong, and if he takes the back it’s game over.
Conclusion
People questioned Oliveira at every turn, but now the doubters have been silenced.
He may have lost the title again against Islam Makhachev, but he is looking to bounce back this weekend and perhaps secure another shot at the belt.
At 33 years old, Oliveira remains one of the most exciting and dangerous fighters in the UFC.
With his finishing ability, fast pace, and beautiful technique, he has proven to be a problem for anyone, anywhere.
Can Charles ‘Do Bronx’ Oliveira continue this wildly entertaining UFC run? We find out this Saturday at UFC 289.
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images
