In ten years with the UFC, Charles Oliveira has twenty-six fights under the promotional banner. That’s a figure that includes sixteen post-fight bonuses including ten Performance of the Night bonuses, and three each of Fight of the Night and the old Submission of the Night award. And only now, in 2020, is Charles Olivera is finally being rewarded with a big fight this weekend at UFC 256. That reward comes when he takes on Tony Ferguson in a co-main event booking that has definite title implications.
For people who have been following this sport for a long time, it’s very satisfying to see Olivera in the biggest fight of his career after all of these years. It’s a booking that nobody saw coming, but the Brazillian couldn’t be any more deserving of the opportunity that he is being afforded this weekend.
He holds the UFC’s submissions record with fouteen, a number that puts him beyond the legendary Royce Gracie (who had ten) and everybody else. He has, as mentioned, sixteen post-fight bonuses in twenty-six fights, with seventeen wins. And Oliveira is sitting on a seven fight win streak, making it almost criminal that he’s been overlooked as long as he has.
To some, a fight with Tony Ferguson, who is coming off a loss at UFC 249 earlier this year, may not seem like a reward. But ‘El Cucuy’ is as game as they come and remains one of the best lightweights in the world. And the winner of this fight would seem poised for a title shot against… well, whoever holds gold at 155lbs in 2021.
Watch the full video above for more on Charles Oliveira vs. Tony Ferguson at UFC 256. The event takes place Saturday, December 12 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, NV.
