This Saturday, June 28, 2025, the Hispanic-Georgian martial artist Ilia Topuria will enter the octagon to face the Brazilian Charles Oliveira for the light weight title of the UFC.
“The killer”, from 28 years It holds an enviable record with 16 Vitorias and 0 losses. On February 17, 2024 he knew what it is to become a champion of the UFC weight weight by beating the Australian Alexander Volkanoski for Ko in the second assault.
Now, after climbing category will be measured before one of the most powerful rivals in the light weight category. A few years ago he had already played a fight in this category facing English Jai Herbert. This was the dispute that has been most complicated to Spanish to date.
This is Charles Oliveira, the next rival of Ilia Topuria in UFC 317
Charles Oliveira da Silva (Guarujá, Sao Paulo, Brazil; 10/17/1989) is a mixed martial artist who has a record 35 victories and 10 losses on his back. He is currently competing in the most recognized company of his discipline, Ultimate Fighthing Championship (UFC), since 2010.
Nicknamed as “Do Bronx”, he is one of the best fighters of his division: the light weight. It is currently like number 2 on the lists although He has already been champion of the division. He did it on May 15, 2021 in front of Michael Chandler whom he defeated by Ko Technician as a consequence of a chain followed by blows in the second assault.
The Brazilian’s life has not been easy. With just seven years he was diagnosed with rheumatic fever. Disease that caused a heart breath that gave him little hope of getting something in sport. Besides, It comes from one of the most dangerous favelas in the area, the Favela de Vicente de Carvalho. His story is shocking seeing how he went out of extreme poverty reaching the world elite of contact sport.
After his debut in 2010 at the UFCfrom there, his journey in the company had high and low for several years. The Brazilian accumulated victories and defeats in his record until he managed to establish himself in the division. It was not until 2018 when Charles Oliveira began to be a feared man in the UFC. He achieved a streak of eight victories in a row, which gave him the opportunity to fight for the light weight belt.
He beat Chandler and became championfor later defend the belt against Dustin Poirier, who managed to submit to send a warning within the light weight: there were champion for a while.
However, his next defense of the title was stained by a problem prior to combat. Charles Oliveira failed to give the 155 pounds on the scale, causing the belt to be vacanteven winning that weekend to Justin Gaethje. The fight between the American and the Brazilian occurred, and ended with victory for submission of “Do Bronx”.
And the toughest test arrived. Charles Oliveira faced Islam Makhachev To see who was done with the title. The Daguestaní showed much superiority and beat submission, moving away from Oliveira from his aspirations.
After three more fights, in which he has added two victories and a defeat, The Brazilian will have the opportunity to recover what one day was his in front of the Hispanic-Georgian Ilia Topuria.
Qualities and characteristics of Charles Oliveira
Oliveira de 35 years stands out mainly for being Black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. This martial art is focused on melee fighting on the ground, where the submission of the opponent is sought through grip techniques, strangulations and dislocations, instead of blows. Besides, It is black belt In this discipline, What denotes is a total expert.
In addition, in the MMA there is no aspect more valued than the ability to finish fights ahead of timecharacteristic that promotes races, attracts legions of fans and drives the sport by giving it more emotion.
Within this maximum consideration department, Charles is the undisputed king: It has finished 20 opponents With keys and blows, among which are fighters with the past of interim champions, such as Justin Gaethje and Dustin Poirier.
Among fighting won by completion and decision, Charles is the mixed martial artist with The second highest number of arms raised, with 23together with Donald Cerrone and Andrei Arlovski and four victories of the absolute record of Jim Miller, not counting that Two of Do Bronx’s triumphs have been in belt fightsjoys that multiply in value to those who do not have a title at stake.