Charles Oliveira da Silva, born on October 17, 1989, is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist and a fourth-degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He competes in the Lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is a former UFC Lightweight Champion.
From humble origins in the favela of Vicente de Carvalho in Guarujá, São Paulo, Brazil, Oliveira's journey to the top of the MMA world is a testament to his resilience and dedication.
Early Life and Jiu-Jitsu Beginnings
At age 7, Oliveira was diagnosed with a heart murmur and rheumatic fever, with a doctor advising against sports. However, his parents allowed him to continue, and his condition improved over time. At 12 years old, a neighbor introduced him to a Brazilian jiu-jitsu gym where trainer Roger Coelho gave free classes to low-income people. His family helped fund his future training by selling street snacks and discarded cardboard.
His early achievements in Jiu-Jitsu include:
- 2004: São Paulo Championship (second time)
- 2005: Copa Nação Jiu-Jitsu
- 2006: 16 medals won
- 2007: CBJJE World Champion (as a blue belt)
- 2008: CBJJE World Champion (silver medal as a purple belt)
- 2008: CBJJE South American Champion
Early Career
Oliveira began his MMA career in 2007 in Brazil, compiling a record of 12-0, with six knockouts and five submissions. In March 2008, Oliveira made his professional debut at the Predador Fight Championship promotion.
Read also: Oliveira's Missed Weight
The event was the "Predator FC 9 - Welterweight Grand Prix", a one-night single-elimination tournament. In the first round, Oliveira defeated Jackson Pontes via submission (rear-naked choke), which advanced him to the second stage of the tournament. Oliveira's second stage fight was against Viscardi Andrade. In the second round, Oliveira won via TKO (punches) and advanced to the final round of the tournament. Oliveira debuted at lightweight by defeating future UFC fighter Mehdi Baghdad in December 2008 at the first event of promotion "Kawai Arena".
Entry into the UFC
Oliveira then signed for the UFC and made his debut against Darren Elkins. Oliveira defeated Elkins via submission (armbar) after 41 seconds of the first round. Oliveira next fought against Efrain Escudero at UFC Fight Night 22 replacing an injured Matt Wiman. The bout, which served as co-main event would become a catchweight bout after Escudero weighed in at 159 lb.
Notable UFC Fights
Throughout his UFC career, Oliveira has been involved in numerous memorable fights. Here's a look at some key moments:
- UFC Live: Kongo vs. Barry: Fought Nik Lentz on June 26, 2011. The fight ended in the second round after Oliveira hit Lentz with an illegal knee which went unnoticed by the referee and submitted the dazed Lentz via rear-naked choke.
- UFC on Fox: Evans vs. Davis: Faced promotional newcomer Eric Wisely in a featherweight fight on January 28, 2012.
- UFC 152: Faced Cub Swanson on September 22, 2012.
- UFC Fight Night 36: Faced Andy Ogle on February 15, 2014. He won the fight via triangle choke submission in the third round.
- UFC Fight Night 74: Faced Max Holloway on August 23, 2015. He lost the fight via TKO in the first round, after suffering an apparent neck/shoulder injury while attempting a takedown, and was rendered unable to continue.
- UFC Fight Night 137: Faced Christos Giagos on September 22, 2018. He won the fight via submission in the second round.
- UFC Fight Night 144: Faced David Teymur on February 2, 2019. He won the fight in the second round after stunning Teymur with an upward elbow and punches before applying an anaconda choke.
- UFC Fight Night 170: Faced Kevin Lee on March 14, 2020. At the weigh-ins, Lee weighed in at 158.5 lbs, 2.5 lbs over the lightweight non-title fight limit of 156 pounds.
Championship Reign and Controversies
Oliveira’s fighting style blends high-pressure Muay Thai striking with one of the most dangerous submission games in UFC history. His grappling is regarded as elite even among decorated submission specialists. Oliveira holds the record for most submission wins in UFC history, with a wide arsenal that includes rear-naked chokes, guillotines, triangles, and more unorthodox setups. What makes him particularly dangerous is his willingness to attack submissions in transition - whether from scrambles, knockdowns, or standing clinch breaks.
The decision to strip Oliveira of the championship proved controversial in what was dubbed "scale gate", as other fighters on the UFC 274 card alleged issues with the scales.
Read also: High Stakes at UFC 262
CHARLES OLIVEIRA - THE MOVIE (Documentary)
UFC 326: Holloway vs. Oliveira
UFC 326 is set to take place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV. The main event features a highly anticipated clash between Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira for the UFC "BMF" Championship.
The current fight card includes:
- Main Event: Max Holloway vs. Charles Oliveira - For the UFC “BMF” Championship
- Renato Moicano vs. Brian Ortega
- Caio Borralho vs. Reinier de Ridder
- Cody Durden vs. Nyamjargal Tumendemberel
- Cody Garbrandt vs. Long Xiao
- Rafael Tobias vs. Diyar Nurgozhay
- Sumudaerji vs. Jesus Aguilar
- Dusko Tudorovic vs. Donte Johnson
Paulo Costa's Withdrawal from UFC 326
UFC 326 has reportedly taken a major hit with the loss of former middleweight title challenger Paulo Costa. First reported by Léo Guimaraes, Costa has apparently withdrawn from a highly-anticipated UFC 326 matchup that would have seen him square off with his countryman Brunno Ferreira.
Following back-to-back losses to former middleweight titleholders Sean Strickland and Robert Whittaker, Costa returned to the win column at UFC 318 when he defeated Roman Kopylov via unanimous decision.
Brunno Ferreira Misses Out On Ranked Opponent. A contract winner on the 2022 edition of Dana White’s Contender Series, Ferreira got off to a hot start in the UFC when he brutally knocked out Gregory Rodrigues at UFC 283 before suffering his first loss in his sophomore outing against Nursulton Ruziboev.
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“The Hulk” has gone 5-1 since then and is currently on a three-fight win streak after taking a unanimous decision over Marvin Vettori, which marked the first time Ferreira has gone the distance in his entire career.
There’s still plenty of time for the UFC to try and find a replacement opponent for Ferreira.
Legacy and Personal Life
In 2025, 405 Films announced it secured the life rights for a biopic based on Oliveira's early years and rise in the UFC. Oliveira resides in Guarujá, living near his old neighbourhood of Vicente de Carvalho, and helps his neighbourhood with regular charities.
Oliveira is a Christian and believes in God. Oliveira was previously nearsighted, and wore eyeglasses all of the time. On having to remove them to fight, he said, "If I take my glasses off, I only see 50 per cent but it never hindered me in a fight", "I see three [faces].
Oliveira's nickname "do Bronxs", literally meaning "from the Bronx", as "Bronx" was a slang used for favelas and poor neighbourhoods. In an interview he revealed: "Bronx is because it's a favela, right? Outskirts, where I come from. "Do Bronxs" practically came when I went to fight in a [amateur] tournament. [...] And they told me to get them a nickname, I was just Charles Oliveira. When we went to fight some jiu-jitsu championships, they always said 'look at the guys from the Bronx, from the favela'.
Awards and Accomplishments
Oliveira's career is decorated with numerous awards and accomplishments, including:
- Fight of the Night (Four times)
- Performance of the Night (Fourteen times)
- Submission of the Night (Three times)
- 2021: Fan's Choice Comeback of the Year Winner
- 2022: Half-Year Awards: Best Fighter of the 1HY
He also holds records for most finishes and most submissions in UFC history, solidifying his place as one of the most exciting and accomplished fighters in the sport.
Key UFC Fights and Events
Here's a table summarizing some of Charles Oliveira's key UFC fights and events:
| Date | Event | Opponent | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 21, 2023 | UFC 289 | Beneil Dariush | Win | Performance of the Night |
| Oct. 22, 2022 | UFC 280 | Islam Makhachev | Loss | For the vacant UFC Lightweight Championship |
| May 7, 2022 | UFC 274 | Justin Gaethje | Win | Oliveira missed weight and was stripped of the UFC Lightweight Championship |
| Dec. 11, 2021 | UFC 269 | Dustin Poirier | Win | Defended the UFC Lightweight Championship |
| May 15, 2021 | UFC 262 | Michael Chandler | Win | Won the vacant UFC Lightweight Championship |
| Mar. 14, 2020 | UFC Fight Night: Lee vs. Oliveira | Kevin Lee | Win | Catchweight (158.5 lb) bout; Lee missed weight |
| Dec. 15, 2012 | UFC on Fox: dos Anjos vs. Dunham | Frankie Edgar | Loss | Performance of the Night |
| Aug. 23, 2015 | UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs. Oliveira | Max Holloway | Loss | Due to neck/shoulder injury |