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Charles Oliveira, UFC Lightweight Champion, Photo by Renan Silva

Top 10 Unbelievable Facts about Charles Oliveira

Charles is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist and Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner. He was born in 1989 in poor family in the Favela of Vicente de Carvalho in tourist town Guaruja Sao Paulo brazil.

Charles Oliveira began training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Roger Coelho at the age of 12, winning his first major title as a white belt in 2003. He was awarded his black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Ericson Cardoso and Jorge “Macaco” Patino in 2010.

He currently competes in the Lightweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is a former UFC Lightweight Champion. Oliveira holds multiple UFC records, notably the most submission wins in the organization’s history at 16, and most finishes at 19. As o, 2022, he is in the UFC lightweight rankings and 3 in the UFC men’s pound-for-pound rankings.

Here are Top 10 Unbelievable Facts about Charles Oliveira

1. Charles had started playing football

He started playing football and was dreaming in becoming a professional player. But at the age of 7 Charles started to feel ill. He had regular pains in his body and had problems in walking. Sometimes unable to move his legs .

2.He was diagnosed with rheumatic fever and heart murmur

Charles Oliveira UFC photo by Renan Silva

When Oliveira was quite young he started to experience some significant health problems. Supposedly, he was having serious pains throughout his body and he would even have difficulty walking at a certain point.

He eventually found out that he not only had a heart murmur, but also a Rheumatic Fever which was affecting his ability to walk. Those issues put him at risk of becoming paraplegic, but somehow, Oliveira managed to work through his issues and got into Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu only a short time later.

3. Charles Oliver has been a UFC record breaker

Oliver has been known for his impressive fighter. He has incredible accomplishments  and hold countless records. Charles Oliveira has set many high records in the UFC. He was just 21 years old when he made his UFC debut and has now had 28 fights in the organization. According to the UFC’s record book currently holds the record for most finishes in UFC history with an impressive 17, and most submission wins with 14.

4.He started fighting when he was only 12 years

Charles Oliveira da Silva started fighting when he was only twelve years old. He won his first major title as a white belt in Brazilian Ji-Jitsu back in 2003, and his first professional fight in 2008 as part of the PFC Welterweight Grand Prix.

5. Charles Oliveira won his first Brazilian Jiu- jistu tournament in 2003

Charles Oliveira, UFC Lightweight Champion ,photo by Renan Silva

He won his first Brazilian jiu-jitsu tournament in 2003 as a white belt, São Paulo State Championship in the Junior Division. In 2004 he won the São Paulo championship again, the Copa Nação Jiu-Jitsu in 2005 and in 2006 he won on 16 medals. 

6. He won his first title defense against former UFC Interim Lightweight champion  Dustin Poirier

Charles made his first title defense against the former UFC Interim Lightweight champion Dustin Poirier in 2021 at UFC 269. After he had been knocked down in the first round. But Oliveira won the bout by submitting Poirier by standing rear-naked choke in the first minute of the third round.

The win which was also earned by his twelfth performance of the night bonus award. That was a new record for the company.

7. Charles Oliveira won the vacant lightweight belt

Charles Oliveira, UFC Lightweight Champion ,photo by Renan Silva

UFC Lightweight Champion Charles Oliveira’s title defense against Justin Gaethje ended even before it started. It was  after the fighter was stripped of his title. After being found to be a half-pound too heavy for his title defense as part of UFC 274.

Oliveira won the vacant lightweight belt in 2021.This was after defeating Michael Chandler in UFC 262 via technical knockout. He then successfully defended his title against Dustin Poirier by submission in UFC 269 which was held in December.

8. The Brazilian holds a record of most submission win UFC history 

Charles Oliveira holds the record for most submission wins in UFC history with 14. That might because he’s incredibly good at jiu-jitsu, but also because he’s incredibly aggressive, attempting 2.7 submissions per 15 minutes in the Octagon. He’s not submitting rookies either: Oliveira has used his jiu jitsu to beat the likes of Hioki, Nik Lentz, Jury, Will Brooks, Guida, Miller and Lee.

Oliveira has a clear edge in terms of submissions, however, Poirier still has a fighting chance on the mat. For all Oliveira’s submission prowess, he’s also shown weakness on the ground, tapping or napping in three of eight losses.

Oliveira’s UFC debut in 2010. ‘Do Bronx’ made his first walk to the octagon at UFC on Versus 2 and faced Darren Elkins. ‘The Damage’ was 11-1 at the time and already had a UFC win under his belt.

When Elkins lifted Oliveira up for a slam just seconds after the pair had touched gloves to start the fight, it seemed Oliveira was to have a rude welcome to the promotion. Instead, the Brazilian showed off his submission skills and immediately scrambled into a position in which he could lock in a triangle choke and then adjust to an armbar.

9. Charles has won gold in the first UFC title shot

Charles do Bronx Jiu-Jitsu photo by Cleber Satoshi Takeuchi

In the first round of their UFC lightweight title matchup, Chandler had Oliveira in grave danger, nearly finishing the veteran Brazilian star and leaving with the lightweight strap. 

He has fought in the UFC 28 times, placing him in a tie for the 10th most fights in the history of the organization. His 17 finishes are the most in UFC history, as are his 14 submission wins. 

He entered the UFC at age 20, and represented Oliveira’s first title shot. With the win, he’s  on a nine-fight win streak, handing Chandler his first loss in the UFC in only his second UFC fight. 

10. His victory at UFC fight night 170 made become the champion of one of the most top-heavy division in UFC

UFC Fight Night 170 was notable for being the last show in 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic.  Charles Oliveira faced Kevin Lee, another top 10 lightweight, as the headliner on the main card in front of an empty arena. The event took place in Oliveira’s home country of Brazil, and although Lee was favored to win, Do Bronx clinched an upset victory with a guillotine choke submission in the first minute of the third round.

This win earned Oliveira a co-headlining spot on the UFC 256 main card against Tony Ferguson, setting him up as a real contender for a future title shot. Oliveira’s victory at UFC Fight Night 170 also accelerated his upward trajectory which would soon culminate in him becoming the champion of one of the most top-heavy divisions in the UFC.