{"id":13410,"date":"2025-09-25T11:12:08","date_gmt":"2025-09-25T11:12:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/?p=13410"},"modified":"2025-09-25T11:42:48","modified_gmt":"2025-09-25T11:42:48","slug":"exclusive-interview-with-charles-oliveira-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/exclusive-interview-with-charles-oliveira-part-1","title":{"rendered":"Exclusive interview with Charles Oliveira – part 1"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Following his first career knockout loss to Ilia Topuria at UFC 308, Brazilian lightweight veteran Charles Oliveira opens up about his emotional return to Brazil for UFC Rio on October 11. The former champion discusses his quick turnaround to face Rafael Fiziev, reflects candidly on what went wrong against Topuria, and explains why fighting at home means more to him than money or marquee event status – it’s about legacy and performing in front of his people after a five-year absence from Brazilian soil.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What does it mean to you to return to Brazil for the first time since 2019?<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charles Oliveira: Man, honestly, when I announced my fight there, the first thing I did was thank God, then Dana, Hunter, and Sean for granting my request. It\u2019s 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\u2019s about legacy \u2014 fighting for my people, for my family, you know?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m beyond excited for everything that\u2019s about to happen. I\u2019m sure fight week in October \u2014 on the 11th \u2014 is going to be amazing. So right now, I just need to stay 100% focused on training, because I\u2019m truly happy. I was driving down from S\u00e3o Paulo, talking with Lima, just feeling grateful for the opportunity \u2014 for the support he gave to get me on this card.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A lot of people said, \u201cBut it\u2019s not a numbered card, right? It won\u2019t pay as much.\u201d But it\u2019s not about the money or the number. It\u2019s about the nation. Fighting in front of my people. So I\u2019m definitely fired up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some Brazilian fighters don\u2019t want to fight on this card, others do \u2014 everyone has their own reasons. Some of it\u2019s about money, sure. But like I said, for me, it\u2019s not about money. It\u2019s about legacy. Fighting in front of my people, in front of my family. I haven\u2019t fought in Brazil for such a long time, so this really means a lot to me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a pretty quick turnaround after the Topuria fight. How are you feeling physically and mentally?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charles Oliveira: Man, to be real with you, I learned a lot from my parents \u2014 that whatever you do, it\u2019s about the present. It\u2019s about now. The moment. If I fought today \u2014 win or lose \u2014 it happened today. Tomorrow\u2019s a new day. And I\u2019ve carried that mindset throughout my whole life, my entire career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I won, it was just that day. The next day, I had to get back to work, back to training, because there\u2019s always someone out there trying to beat me. And when I lost, same thing \u2014 I had to come back better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So that\u2019s exactly what I\u2019m 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\u2019s happening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, it\u2019s a really tough opponent \u2014 Fiziev is no joke. But I\u2019m genuinely happy and focused. My mindset is bulletproof. And when I\u2019m happy, when I\u2019m feeling bold, things just flow naturally. Last night, when I got the message saying everything\u2019s confirmed \u2014 main event \u2014 I said, \u201cAlright, let\u2019s make it happen.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I thanked Diego, sent messages to my family, and now it\u2019s set: UFC Rio, October 11. I\u2019m super excited.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So it was your request to fight at UFC Rio?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charles Oliveira: Yeah. A lot of people said, \u201cBut it\u2019s not a numbered card,\u201d and I said, \u201cI don\u2019t care, man. I want to fight.\u201d It would be amazing to fight here again. It\u2019s been a long time since I fought in Brazil. And like it or not, when you fight here, you\u2019re fighting in front of your people, your family. That makes it huge. I\u2019m really motivated and happy about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s at stake for you in this fight?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charles Oliveira: Brother, I\u2019ll be straight with you \u2014 it\u2019s about legacy. About my family. About how happy I am. I\u2019ve been with the UFC for 15 years. I\u2019ve had highs and lows. I hold the record for most bonuses, most submissions. Former lightweight champion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My story is already written. So what does this fight mean to me? Fighting in front of my family, in front of my people. Being happy, like I am now. I got home and my wife was like, \u201cYour smile goes from ear to ear.\u201d That kind of joy. So there\u2019s no pressure. Nothing else. Just a kid from the favela who made it big in the world and now wants to come back \u2014 to fight again in front of this amazing Brazilian nation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What do you think of Fiziev as a fighter, and what will be the deciding factor in this matchup?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charles Oliveira: Honestly, Fiziev is super tough. He moves well, he\u2019s a solid striker, very respectful, and he\u2019s fought big names. As I always say \u2014 I never disrespect anyone \u2014 but I\u2019m focused on myself. On what I can bring into the game. This confidence, this happiness \u2014 being ready.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inside that cage, it\u2019s not just me. It\u2019s me, him, and a whole nation of Brazilians cheering and vibing with me. That energy will definitely push me forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s your reflection on the Topuria fight? What was the game plan, and what went wrong?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charles Oliveira: My reflection is simple: sometimes we try to prove something we don\u2019t need to prove. I had trained a lot of movement, calf kicks, one-twos, takedown entries, combos leading to high kicks \u2014 all that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But when the fight started, I just wanted to show off. I believed too much in my hands, in my knockout power. I kept waiting for the perfect moment to land, but he was way faster than me because I was standing there waiting for one shot. He was way quicker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His game plan worked better than mine. It was his night. His timing was better. His punch landed before mine. He deserves all the respect in the world \u2014 it was his moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, I was waiting for something I shouldn\u2019t have waited for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What should I have done? Moved. But I didn\u2019t. I didn\u2019t do anything I trained for. I just stood in front of him and paid the price. That\u2019s why I went home, stayed close to my family, and went back to training. Because there\u2019s still so much to prove, so much to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve been in the UFC for 15 years. I\u2019d never been knocked out before \u2014 this was the first time. But I don\u2019t need anyone to pick me up. It\u2019s up to me. So I\u2019ve already gotten back up, and I\u2019m moving forward. Like I said, that night is over \u2014 now it\u2019s about the next one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Does Ilia deserve to be number 1 pound-for-pound?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charles Oliveira: Man, that\u2019s a tough question. It\u2019s crazy figuring out who\u2019s number 1, 2 or 3. There are so many killers out there who deserve respect. But yeah, I think Ilia does deserve to be the number 1 \u2014 based on his current run and the way he\u2019s been fighting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But I also think the UFC put him there to stir things up with Islam \u2014 to set up the fight that everyone wants to see. The fans want it, the UFC wants it. But it\u2019s always tricky \u2014 this pound-for-pound stuff is wild. Who\u2019s really #1?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still, he\u2019s building a great career. He moves well, he\u2019s tough \u2014 and he deserves to be where he is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paddy Pimblett stepped into the Octagon after the fight. If the next matchup is Topuria vs. Paddy \u2014 does Paddy deserve it? Does he stand a chance?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charles Oliveira: Brother, this is UFC \u2014 things are crazy. I heard Dana White said he doesn\u2019t even know who told Paddy to get in there. The real next in line is Arman, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But then Topuria says that fight will never happen. So honestly, this is UFC \u2014 we don\u2019t even know who\u2019s next. Justin Gaethje is also waiting, and he said he\u2019ll only fight if it\u2019s for the title. So yeah \u2014 UFC is unpredictable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Did you notice anything about Topuria \u2014 any weaknesses or tells?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charles Oliveira: Man, to be honest, not in the moment. I didn\u2019t even have a good moment in the fight. He\u2019s a dangerous guy. He moves well. He\u2019s calm in there. So how could I point out a weakness? There\u2019s nothing to say. That night, his game was better than mine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Want more? Check the second part of our exclusive interview with Charles Oliveira<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Following his first career knockout loss to Ilia Topuria at UFC 308, Brazilian lightweight veteran Charles Oliveira opens up about his emotional return to Brazil for UFC Rio on October 11. The former champion discusses his quick turnaround to face Rafael Fiziev, reflects candidly on what went wrong against Topuria, and explains why fighting at […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13411,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[112],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13410","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interviews"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13410","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13410"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13410\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13424,"href":"https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13410\/revisions\/13424"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13411"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13410"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13410"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thunderpick.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13410"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}