5 Things You Might Not Know About Charles Oliveira

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With his recent win over Jim Miller, Charles Oliveira not only avenged his first Ultimate Fighting Championship loss, but he also extended his record for the most submission victories inside the Octagon. This extended his impressive 4-1 record since returning to lightweight.

At UFC Fight Night 144, Oliveira will go up against David Teymur, who is undefeated in the UFC and is looking to add a big-name opponent to his resume. This interesting matchup will take place at Centro de Formacao Olimpica do Nordeste on Feb. 2. As fight day nears, here are five things you might not know about “Do Bronx.”

1. He sold cheese salads as a child.

Like many born into poverty, Oliveira started working as a child, helping his mother sell cheese salads from a trailer. Thanks to this line of work, Oliveira made friends with other kids who trained jiu-jitsu. He was around 12 when he was invited to train at a local academy. Oliveira’s family couldn’t pay for his training but because his uncle knew the instructor at the academy, “Do Bronx” was able to train free of charge.

2. He scored multiple wins in one night on three separate occasions.

Not every mixed martial artist has competed in a tournament-style event, and Oliveira did it three times. His very first professional fight was at Predador FC 9: Welterweight Grand Prix. In the Sao Paulo event, Oliveira cruised his way to the finals and eventually won the title. Later, he joined Kawai Arena 1 and once again proved dominant. He also competed at Warriors Challenge 5, where he won two fights by stoppage.

3. He got his nickname from the gym.

One of the gyms where Oliveira trained was called “Bronx.” When he moved to Macaco Gold Team and started to build a reputation because of his undeniable skill, people began referring to him as the kid from “do Bronx.”

4. He has started his own social project.

Oliveira has come a long way from the kid who learned jiu-jitsu through a social project, which is why he strives to give back to his community in every way he can. With the support of his family, he put up a social project of his own in his native of Guaruja. Through this venture, he’s able to help kids stay away from a world of crime by teaching them grappling.

5. He believes 145 is the right weight class for him.

Despite not making the featherweight limit multiple times and the fact that he is currently doing well at lightweight, Oliveira still feels that 145 is his home. Should the UFC insist that he stays at 155, then he is ready to bulk up. While doable, he believes that he doesn’t have the right frame for this division.