Charles Oliveira is ready for the lightweight title. As UFC 317 approaches, the Las Vegas air is thick with the kind of tension only a vacant title fight can conjure. At the center of it all is Charles Oliveira, the Brazilian submission wizard, who has sent a clear warning to his opponent Ilia Topuria.
Charles Oliveira: “You Haven’t Felt My Firepower Yet”
On Ilia Topuria, Charles Oliveira, during the UFC media day ahead of UFC 317, said:
“If he thinks he has firepower, he hasn’t seen mine. If he thinks he has jiu-jitsu, he hasn’t seen mine. Let me tell you something: it’s going to happen. I’m going to become champion again.”
Charles Oliveira is no stranger to the spotlight, nor to the business of proving doubters wrong. With a record of 35 wins, 10 losses, and one no contest, he sits atop the UFC record books as the all-time leader in submissions (16) and finishes (20).
His journey from the favelas of São Paulo to the top of the lightweight division is the stuff of legend, marked by a string of dramatic, last-minute triumphs that have earned him the nickname “Do Bronx.” Whether he’s locking in a rear-naked choke, a guillotine, or a calf-slicer, Charles Oliveira’s ground game is as unpredictable as it is deadly. His recent five-round unanimous decision win over Michael Chandler at UFC 309 proved he can still grind out a result, even as he approaches the twilight of his career.
But Oliveira’s finishing ability isn’t limited to the mat. He’s also shown a knack for turning fights on their head with strikes, most notably his second-round TKO of Michael Chandler at UFC 262 to claim the vacant lightweight title. That night, Oliveira dropped Chandler with a left hook before swarming him on the ground, sealing the deal with a flurry of punches.
Oliveira’s list of victims reads like a who’s who of the lightweight division. He’s tapped out Kevin Lee, Dustin Poirier, and Jim Miller, and knocked out or stopped the likes of Chandler and Jared Gordon. His ability to adapt and overcome adversity, even after being dropped or hurt, has become his trademark. “I don’t let my fights go to the fourth or fifth round,” Oliveira once quipped. “I knock people out and I tap them. I’m always ready.”
The stakes for UFC 317 couldn’t be higher. The vacant lightweight title is up for grabs, left behind by Islam Makhachev, who has moved up to welterweight. For Oliveira, this is a chance to reclaim the belt he once wore and cement his legacy as one of the greatest lightweights in UFC history. For Topuria, it’s an opportunity to become a two-division champion and further etch his name into the history books. The Georgian-Spaniard is undefeated, with a reputation for devastating knockout power and a confidence that borders on bravado. He’s already made history by knocking out Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway, and now he’s set his sights on Oliveira.
Despite the odds favoring Topuria, Oliveira remains undaunted. “If he thinks he has firepower, he hasn’t seen mine. If he thinks he has jiu-jitsu, he hasn’t seen mine. Let me tell you something: it’s going to happen. I’m going to become champion again,” Oliveira declared. His words carry the weight of a man who’s been counted out before and always comes back swinging.
