Las Vegas — Charles “Do Bronxs” Oliveira returns to action at UFC 326, in a rematch with Max Holloway over a decade in the making.
So much has changed since that night in 2015, which saw Oliveira (36-11, 1NC) exit the featherweight fight early due to a neck injury. Holloway went on to win the UFC’s featherweight championship, and now holds the largely symbolic “BMF” title. Oliveira took a little longer to reach the pinnacle of the sport, but captured lightweight gold in 2021.
The BMF belt, however, is a different sort of accolade.
“For sure, this is a title, this is a belt, the opportunity to take it down to Brazil, something that has never been done before by a Brazilian athlete. When I talk about legacy, and getting things, the records and everything else, that’s what I’m talking about,” Oliveira told media outlets including Cageside Press during Wednesday’s UFC 326 media day.
Max Holloway, it has been said, has legitimized the BMF title, embodying what it means to be the “baddest” in a sport among tough guys.
“I think each and every fighter that actually has held it is important,” observed Oliveira, before admitting that “now Max has found a way to give even more importance to a belt like that.”
What makes one worthy to fight for the BMF belt? According to Oliveira, “everything that’s done inside of the cage. The wars, the bonuses, the records, everything else. All those things, and who they are, qualify them to fight for the BMF.”
Oliveira himself certainly qualifies. He leads the UFC in submissions all time. He’s a former champion. He holds fourteen post-fight bonuses, has 21 finishes overall, another UFC record, and has held the featherweight submissions record for over a decade since leaving the weight class.
Looking back at his first fight against Holloway, Oliveira didn’t make any excuses. “The first fight between us, let’s kill that one. He won that, that’s it. It’s two great fighters, two legends, two guys that put on a show. We’re going to put on a great show on Saturday.”
Oliveira has been working with former UFC star Demian Maia, another submission specialist and grappler, ahead of UFC 326. He spoke on that with Cageside Press.
“This is huge, and I just want to remind everybody, this is not jiu-jitsu, we’re actually doing MMA. So it’s important to have somebody like him that obviously, we put the work together, we got together, we made it happen, we dedicated ourselves to this. It’s so good to actually have somebody saying positive things, pulling you up, helping you out. It was so cool to have him in a second camp.”
Of late, Oliveira has mentioned a return to 145lbs. Don’t bank on it, as he said he was “Joking around, tossing ideas. Get the the BMF then get the title at lightweight, maybe go back to 145, I don’t know.”
“One step at a time. Maybe there’s a possibility out there.”
Jim Miller is chasing 30 wins under the UFC banner, could Oliveira give him a run for his money? It’s possible, “Do Bronxs” said on Wednesday.
“The truth is, as long as I’m happy doing this, as long as I can continue to feel it, I’ll continue to do it. You get three, four fights a year. Maybe you just get two. As long as I continue to feel it— I have some promises I don’t want to break, in this business. I want to continue.”
Then there’s a potential fight with Conor McGregor, should Oliveira claim gold this weekend. A fight he admits would mean more to his bank account than to his legacy. “To fight Conor, it would be for the money. That’s it. Simply that.”
Watch the UFC 326 media day appearance by Charles Oliveira above.
