Athletes
Charles Oliveira: ‘A Wounded Lion Is Still A Lion’
After Suffering His First Loss In More Than Four Years, Charles Oliveira Is Intent On Reminding Everyone Who The Champion Is At UFC 289
From May 2021 to October 2022, nothing was more of a surefire thrill quite like a Charles Oliveira championship fight. His wins over Michael Chandler, Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje followed a strangely similar pattern: his opponent would rock Oliveira and gain the upper hand only for “Do Bronxs” to rally and finish them in a blink of an eye. He wasn’t able to turn things around in the same fashion against Islam Makhachev, but anyone who calls themselves a fight fan had to tip their cap to the wild ride Oliveira gave us.
After losing to Makhachev, Oliveira said he needed a “chance to recharge the batteries,” which translated into an eight-month gap between fights. Refreshed and rejuvenated, Oliveira feels ready to rally once again as he faces Beneil Dariush at UFC 289: Nunes vs Aldana in a clash of top lightweights.
How To Watch UFC 289 In Your Country
“A wounded lion is still a lion; a lion is not eating grass,” Oliveira told UFC.com through a translator. “I am out here to prove that I'm the boy that came back from the hood and then made it this far.”
On the outside, a three-round co-main event after so many high-profile headlining bouts might seem like a step back, and, maybe for some, an opportunity to lose intensity and steam after such an intense stretch. But these are also the moments in which championship-caliber athletes distinguish themselves.
Although Oliveira is no longer defending the 155-pound belt, he is defending his spot against a surging and underrated contender in Dariush, who comes into this fight riding an eight-fight win streak. Coincidentally, that is the same amount of wins in a row that Oliveira carried into his title win against Chandler.
UFC 289 Full Fight Card Preview
The two were supposed to fight in October 2020 and then booked again at UFC 288 in New Jersey. Following an injury on Oliveira’s side, the matchup was rebooked for Vancouver, and although it might seem like Oliveira is on the back foot in terms of momentum, he is taking it all in stride.
“There hasn't been pressure all along,” Oliveira said. “It's always been (about) this boy who was a dreamer. He was dreaming really high, dreaming big. What I'm bringing to the table is being daring, being aggressive, being this person that wants to bring a show, bring different things for people to watch. There's no weight on me for this fight. There's no pressure, no change.”
Charles Oliveira | Top Finishes
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Charles Oliveira | Top Finishes
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Despite some natural pre-fight chatter, all signs point toward a respectful, highly competitive fight between two savages. Although few can match Oliveira’s list of statistical accomplishments, Dariush brandishes a similarly lethal skill set that often gives opposing fighters fits. Both have knockout power, but both are wizards in the grappling department, as well.
While the tension is sure to bubble throughout fight week as the two prepare for battle, the general vibe around this fight is in much more of the “we both have a job to do” sense than anything particularly personal. After Dariush dispatched of Mateusz Gamrot at UFC 280, he said he would be happy to fight either Makhachev or Oliveira, something the Brazilian appreciates.
UFC 289 COUNTDOWN: Oliveira vs Dariush | Full Episode | Nunes vs Aldana
“You want people who are excited to fight those who are in front of you and want to give you an opportunity,” Oliveira said. “They actually get something. (But) again, this is my fight. I've never been so prepared for a fight. I needed to rest. I needed to get ready for this. And this is mine. I came here to get this. That's what's mine. To get the victory. I’ve never been so ready for a fight.”
Despite the many highlight-reel moments Oliveira has given the public – quite literally the most in UFC history in terms of finishes – there’s a sense that Oliveira is up against it. In his four fights up north, Oliveira is 0-4 and was finished in each bout. Dariush has long been considered one of the most deserving of a title shot for the last couple years, and this would stamp his claim with very little argument against it. The reason the May bout was rescheduled was because of an injury on Oliveira’s side.
Five Charles Oliveira Fights To Watch Before UFC 289
But, as we’ve seen in the last few years, Oliveira is now a man who thrives at the base of a mountain and makes quite the show of climbing to its peak. After eight months away, Oliveira is back to remind everyone the champion has a name, and it is Charles Oliveira.
“A hunger is what I feel,” he said. “It doesn't matter how many stones are going to be thrown my way. I'm going to throw them back. It doesn't matter. I don't care if I'm bleeding. I don't care if I'm getting hit. I'm always going to continue to press forward.
Oliveira vs Dariush Co-Main Event Preview
“When the lion is hungry, it goes for the kill, it goes for the hunt. And I'm going to be pressuring all fight long.”
UFC 289: Nunes vs Aldana took place live from the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, Canada on June 10, 2023. See the Final Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC Fight Pass!
